


Mugan = Infinity = Heda

by hearns



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Praimfaya, Survival, rework of season 4
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-12-31
Packaged: 2019-01-26 22:17:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 141,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12567428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hearns/pseuds/hearns
Summary: In the aftermath of the war with Alie, The Flame must play a part in making things right and it has chosen it's vessel.  Now the race is on to save to human race.





	1. Pain

**Author's Note:**

> Note this is a fanfiction that is in progress.  
> I started writing this after watching the first part of "Perverse Instantiation", about that time I was flipping through my Flipboard app and found a news articles about brain dead bodies being used in medical research and another article talking about detection means for coma patents of if a patient will ever wake up. Thus we have a character who meets both of those criteria. This is not a fix a world fic, this is what might happen next fic given available information.

Mugan = Infinity = Heda

 

* * *

 

  1. Pain



* * *

 

Ontari felt cold. There were voices speaking over her.

"Her eyes are unresponsive." It was Wanheda's voice. "She's brain dead."

"What do we do now?"

Warm.

"Klark. Ontari... Can she be saved?" Roan spoke.

"From the knowledge we have gained from Bekka's journal we might be able to save her." Wanheda spoke.

"Bekka as in Premaheda Bekka?" Roan's words started to drive down his worry.

"The Same..." A different voice spoke up from the group. A woman's... She knew it but couldn't place it.

Movement...

"Okay Raven, let's see if this works again." It was the voice of the Skaikru healer Abby that was the woman who was speaking earlier.

"Brain function interlink test number ten." The woman from earlier spoke. Raven...

Pain...

"Raven, shut it down." Abby yelled.

"I can't..." Raven called out as numbers, symbols and letters filled Ontari's vision.

"Ontari... stay with me." Abby's words showed clear worry.

Light...

Breathe...

Metal...

"She's awake." Abby spoke. "Neural activity between the implant and remaining neural tissue functioning at programmed levels. I think we got her back Raven. Let's see if we can get the implant to communicate with her lower brain functions." This is when Ontari felt fingers on her neck. "Clark, Jackson, you two need to make sure that her neural glucose levels don't crash on us..."

Exhaustion.

Darkness.

"Do not harm Klark." A woman's voice spoke... it took Ontari a moment to place it.

_Leska?_

"You are the new Commander?"

_Yes._

"Do not harm Klark. She will teach you. She is under my orders to teach you."

_She must die... All Skaikru must die._

"Not your call. Nia is dead for her crimes. Start fresh."

_Nia dead?_

"You do not remember?"

_No..._

This felt like Alie's chip… but it wasn't! This was not the City of Light... But it was more alive.

Light again.

"Roan... Ontari has some memory loss due to her injuries as well as from what Alie did to her." Abby of Skaikru spoke as Ontari did her best to look around.

"Can she be still be Heda?" Roan said worried, they were in a room. It was made out of metal.

"Don't know... This is unexplored territory, we are using knowledge that is over a hundred years old connecting in a neural implant that was pieced together from a reprogrammed chip maker which Alie used to make the chips she used to possess her victims. But for the time being she has to heal. Though being a Nightblood did grant her a few advantages in this process working out. Remember that Ontari was technically brain dead when we found her and we had to crack her…"

"Roan." Ontari called out. It was more of a groan. Gods her mouth was dry. But it felt good to speak.

"Ontari... it is good to see you awake?" Roan raced over to Ontari's side.

"I hurt..." Ontari did her best to move her head around. Part of it felt cold.

"How much do you remember from before?" Roan spoke the concern on his face.

"Ontari... Nice to see that you are awake Ice Princess." Ontari turned to see Murphy the Fake Flamekeeper standing in the doorway. Her fake Flamekeeper.

"Murphy..." Ontari wanted to move. Get up but her body wouldn't do what she wanted. Murphy rushed over and Ontari looked at his face. His face looked to be somewhat healed. A little scaring, but it was mostly healed up.

"Hey... I am here." Ontari winced in fear as some memories came back... Mostly of them in bed, naked, having sex. He had nuzzled her behind the neck. Safe.

"We had sex." Ontari said the words, memories flooded back. "It felt good." This brought about a few blushes from everyone in the room. "You felt less... hurt by my actions." Warm, safe, beautiful agony orgasm. Alive.

Then other memories started to come back.

Pain...

Jaha... she had handed Jaha a fireplace tong willingly under the orders of the lady in red and he...

Ontari's memories jumped back to seeing Jaha enter her throne room.

_"Kill Jaha... Kill this man. Don't trust a word he says."_  The woman in red was seating on the throne of the heda not her. She had been in the same position she had been while serving under Queen Nia.

Jaha had bashed her head in and Ontari let it happen.

Roan was here worried about her. He looked a little worse for wear.

Roan entering the city with a Wanheda...

Ontari was going to be granted the Flame... This was Wanheda's choice now.

"Roan... you saved me?" Ontari spoke looking around the room again. Skaikru symbols were all about her.

"With Wanheda's help." Roan spoke as he reached out to take her face in his well-worn hands. "The flame of the Heda was the only thing that Alie feared and with good reason."

Ontari ankle started to itch.

"My foot is itching." Murphy moved to pick up the blanket of her bed and he started to rub her ankle.

"Limb sensation is a good sign." Abby spoke grinning. There was a black and blue noose mark around the woman's neck.

"Ontari... do you feel better. I am glad to see that you are awake." Murphy said as he moved to place down a book that he had carrying with him. The symbol of the Heda was clearly on it.

"The book..." Ontari spoke looking at it.

"Bekka's journal. Yeah... it is one of the things that we used to help fight Alie. It is a little weird reading the origin story of the Nightbloods, but also the knowledge needed to heal your wounds." Murphy spoke to her. This was the fabled book that Titus denied her and now it was before her. Murphy had used it to seek out a healer to save her life. But why Skaikru?

"Murphy hasn't left your side since we brought you here to be healed." Abby spoke as she moved to touch the side of Ontari's head. This is when Ontari felt that the side of her skull had been shaved.

"Mirror." Ontari spoke, it was starting to be hard to keep her eyes open.

"Here is one." A voice called out before blackness returned.

* * *

 

"... Being Heda was never easy. But I remember that all decisions have a weight and a balanced to them as well as a cost that you must understand so that you can lead well." The woman's voice spoke, Ontari slowly shifted herself awake.

"Hey you are awake." The woman's voice spoke, it took Ontari a moment for her eyes to focus on the woman sitting by her bed. It was the mutant girl that Murphy had taken as a lover. Emori.

"You are reading?" Emori said as she looked at the mutant holding up the book of the Heda with her strange mutated hand.

"Murphy said that I should read to you, and it is what I have been doing." The girl said she reached out and patted Ontari on her hand. "I'm scared… Wanheda said that Alie decided to do an act of spite if she was ever defeated.…" Ontari saw the fear and the girl's eyes, whatever Alie had left in her wake was something truly fearful.

"What is this new threat?" Ontari spoke. The mutant girl took a deep breath and did her best to steady herself. The girl moved to start flipping through the book before she presented an illustration before Ontari. It was a view out of a window so high that it only could have been seen from the village of the Skaikru. The red and white of the grounds burning below stated it all.

"That picture was drawn by Pramheda Bekka when she was living with the Skaikru at the time doing research on creating the Nightblood due to her needing their tools at the time." Emori spoke as she shook. "This was drawn right after Alie Burned the world the first time. Now Alie in her act of spite is going to do it again unless the coalition stops her." The picture was of the great burn. The fact that Alie was going to repeat it stated that her Kru was in danger. Ontari tried to set up but her body did not want to obey.

"Roan is handling it my Heda. Your body needs to heal so that you can join the fight. Murphy is speaking in your stead at the meeting." Emori spoke as she rose from the seat to stop Ontari.

"Unhand me..." Ontari demanded this was before she felt something pull back on her body. Ontari stopped cold when she realized that something was attached to her head. Looking down Ontari saw the mirror on the bed and held it up.

What she saw next made her scream.

* * *

 

 


	2. Kru

Murphy was sitting next to Ontari's bed. The heavy sedation she was now under after she freaked spoke volumes. Not every day you realize that you are bolted to several machines until your caved in skull heals. The heavy puffiness and skin stretch bladders under what was left on Ontari's skin stated that it would be a while. Abby had started work with Raven to 3D print a new skull portion to replaced the chunk of skill Ontari loss due to Jaha bashing her head in. The pressure draining tubes would be taken out in a few days but the neural implants that had been linked to the parts of Ontari's brain would now become a permanent part of her body making her a cyberized Intelligence Advanced being. Ontari would still be mostly human, but most of her mind above her lower reptile brain would be controlled by Bekka's chip technology. Most of that was running off of a modified copy of Ontari's memories that was being restored by the long term memory centers of what was left of her mind. The chest cavity split that Abby had done to maintain the blood flow between Ontari and Clark were all things this girl would have to live with, but it had forced this personality that was returning become more... tempered. Underneath it all still was the young woman who like him had never been part of their society but where in a position where they would be shaping it.

Becoming some political advisor to a temperamental young woman was one thing, but this... Murphy leaned back and chuckled, maybe the Grounder saying: "The best blades are ones forged through hardship, pain and compassion." Well that held true for him and several of the Hundred, maybe even Emori and Ontari even more so.

Till Murphy came to the ground, he never fully fit in, but now he had two girls whom he would fight and die for. One was thrown out their home because she and her brother had deformities that didn't meet their society's view of perfection. The other was torn from her parents all because she came from some warrior bloodline that declared that she should be a leader all because of the color of her blood. Now with one sleeping in his lap and the other in a drugged slumber as he looked at both of get some rest from the events of last few days.

Emori was scared of what was going to come as well what she had done under the control of that blasted A.I., broken feelings and betrayal of those she trusted. Feeling Emori snuggle around to get comfortable as she propped her head on his lap, Murphy stroked his fingers through her dark hair which comforted her down. There always would be a monsters but also heroes or at least anti-villains. Anti-villains at least were not good people, but they lived by a code... A code that once you learned it... Well Clark and Lexa did become each other fuck buddies. In this world these Anti-heroes and Anti-Villains seemed to have worked out a sort of truce and had started to rebuild the world they needed it to be. They wouldn't always be the ones you expected them to be, but right now this new foe would be of the creations of the past and it would be fought by those who called this place home.

The current fight ahead of them how had to do with those damn aging reactors that had gone critical. Over a dozen Nuclear Reactors going into meltdown and nine of them were currently burning. This meant that all thirteen peoples of this land would have to unite together to put them out and save what was left of the human race. Maybe this was the call to arms needed that would be the stuff of legend that would probably bring the land the peace it so desperately needed. Not King Arthur legend grade stuff, but the type of story that needed to be told in this world of mutated animals, genetically engineered humans and well... his ass.

Now back to the situation at hand: Watch over Ontari and make sure the Emori got some much needed sleep. He just needed to be there for the two women he loved.

The rest of the stuff was working its self out for the time being as he just kept sending word of the status of Heda and the rest of the politics and matters of state were running like anything else.

Raven was working with Jaha and the other techs and engineers to figuring out the best way to put out these fires so that they could present a course of action to deal with each reactor on a Kru by Kru basis.

Raven had tracked down Alie's data on the burning reactors and had projected it using the uplink from her old decent pod to communicate with what was left of the Ark in the Arkadia's main hall that had been turned into a war room. When Clark showed the map and the information to the Arkers and to many of the Grounders it hit like a sledgehammer to the head. Given that Alie had decided to upload everyone to her computer system just so that she in her mind could save the human race... Well her idea of saving humanity also included nuking the hell out of it to decrease the population. Putting a course of action to overcome this threat was not driving politics in ways that Lexa could only have dreamed of.

Now Clark had gathered everyone who knew the lands and terrains of where the reactors were at along with any Arkers who had training or knowledge about nuclear material to help resolve this crisis. It was going to be race to literally put out fires. Even Jaha had been dragged in, in chains none the less given that he had built Alie's power core from a nuclear warhead to help with resolving the mess that he had helped unleash upon this world.

Some of the burning cores could be shut down via drowning them in water and acid to speed up the decay the natural of the nuclear material... The others... well they needed to be shut down before they could be drowned permanently. Even a few blacksmiths had offered up their metal working skills to help craft the tools and weapons needed for this fight. Raven accepted the help as she had them crafting things that would be needed to putting out these fires. Even the art of glass blowing had been rediscovered in light of recent events. This meant that after this there would be many glass goblets being made for the new Heda's ascension ceremony after they forged the bottles needed to transport the acid to the site of the fires.

Emori shifted again in his lap as she moved to grab onto his ass. Murphy grinned and reached over and grabbed a handful of her own buttock and squeezed, she was so cute like this when she was sleep frisky. Even when she mumbled some of the more sexual explicit references to her dream world. Murphy's playful touch sprung Emori wake and out of whatever raunchy dream she was having or escaping to in light of recent events. Whatever fantasy Alie had given her, it sure must have been sex filled given her grief when she had been slammed back to reality in that day in the tower back in Polis.

"So who is the lover that is making my dream girl so raunchy?" Murphy knew that Emori still had the chip in her head but a rubbing her thigh stated who he thought it was. Murphy knew that Emori had lusts and desires like any girl say Clark or Ontari, but for Emori it was in the more cuddle category given how she pulled people close to her. Emori was no longer afraid of people seeing her deformed bits of her body. It showed even now as she gotten rid of much of the disguise she used to hide who she really was. Though she knew roughly or in a literal terms what he and Ontari had done in her bed, in a way it hurt her, but also that mind controlled chip sex she had done with him in the Temple of the Heda also haunted her. The look in Emori's brown eyes spoke all wanted was the last few weeks that she had been chipped erased from her mind and some of her innocence back.

"I was dreaming of us on the boat. That night we slept in the nude." Emori's words highlighted how she longed for that moment of intimate connection that shared together. Murphy remembered that night. The first night where Emori showed of more of that toned bad assed body of her's. Smitten grin and well Emori stealing his clothes as a sort of con get ahead in her view. He did get her back by stealing her's, but mostly that was to see her naked perfect fuckable ass. They really didn't have sex that night, but it was for them just... well bonding wrapped in the that blanket and just talking about their shit lives made them feel intimate with each other. The green thunderstorm out in the distance just highlighted their conversation. This was when they had started to fall in love. They really didn't have a plan back then other than get away from Jaha and figure out how to get Emori's brother back. A point made moot by Otan's death just days later. But as Murphy traced his fingers through her raven black hair Emori realized that she had found the one thing that she had longed for with him... Kru, "family."

Emori moved to get up and stretch out from her place on Murphy's lap. Emori had gotten over her sensitivity of her mutated hand being seen by others, but she was still sensitive about her normal toes which she thought were too small. Finding out from Abby that her hand had been formed not by radiation, but by inter-fetal chimera-ism had taken a load off of Murphy's mind. Inter-fetal cellular cannibalism was the more accurate term of what had taken place. This meant that Emori could have perfectly healthy babies... that was if they could have if this current crisis could be overcome. But Emori was worried about the cannibal term still being connected to her condition. Given that there were things still even taboo in this post wasteland of a world. Emori looked like she would go vegan and swear off of any meat just to distance herself from that term. But according to Abby as she explained the condition to Emori as it wasn't actual cannibalism but more of a mixing of her cells the building blocks of her body and that was the reason that her hand was the way it was. She was supposed to be twins

Her body had two sets of designs, just there was a screw up during construction. The little fingers on her hand belonged to her unborn twin.

"So how is the Ice Princess?" Emori spoke looking over at Ontari's slumbering form.

"A little better, Abby cranked down the sedative a little while ago." Ontari's current plight was on Murphy's mind and Emori knew it. Ontari wasn't some mark, she was someone that had come from similar circumstances as some of the other Hundred. Wanheda's Hundred.

"Do you think she still hates you?" Emori spoke concerned.

"Don't know, but given the Hell that Nia had put her through growing up, Alie's offer of a world without pain was very tempting to her along with all the knowledge she lusted for was one serious deal. For me Pain is what I need to live... without it I am nothing." Murphy spoke as he moved to pull Emori to him. "That doesn't mean that I am not without compassion and love. For Ontari..." There was a deep sigh from him. "She has a lot to learn in that not everyone wants to use you to get something as a result."

"Guess, she never thought having her head bashed in and having Wanheda's blood flowing through her being the price of her freedom." Emori spoke as the tension of the present situation played out. There was a knock on the door. Murphy and Emori turned to see Raven standing there.

"So how goes the battle plans Raven-Reyes of the order of the Kanics." Murphy said giving Raven's somewhat honorary title that had made its way through the Grounder Community. Amazing what takes place when people make the connection between Raven's origin story and Premaheda Bekka's. Though instead of the Grounders of Polis finding Raven, she had been found by Wanheda after she had landed. That and being of the same order of Bekka didn't help things, though after hearing Alie scream in people's heads to "Kill Raven" and seeing what the former zero-g mechanic had done for Clark during the battle in the City of Light, Raven's name had become somewhat sacred.

Raven's bird symbol had started to crop up around Polis next to that of the Heda. Murphy had done what he could to shoot down the belief that Raven should be worshiped by stating that Raven had been part of the same ancient order that Bekka had been part of as well as Jaha. That had slowed down that belief, but for the time being until Ontari put down a decree, it was going to be ugly.

"So... How is Ontari doing?" Raven said as she walked over. Raven had modified the knee brace to give her more maneuverability, the limp was less now. The two motors she had placed in were designed so that she could when necessary restore the strength to her leg for just a moment so that she could move normally. Given recent events, Raven wanted to be more active in things though given her chip work on Ontari.

"Good, she has been mumbling about someone named Einhart kicking her ass." Raven grinned at Murphy.

"Guess that the former Heda warriors decided to work with Lexa to train Ontari here." Raven said moving her fingers to put some of Ontari's hair back into place.

"What do you mean?" Emori spoke looking at Raven.

"Well for the past hour, I have been watching Ontari here be in a sparring match with Lexa and one of the other uploaded Hedas through my portal." Raven said taking a seat by Ontari. "Ontari really needs to think things through before she picks a fight with someone."

"You have been watching Ontari fight?" Emori stated in shock. Raven's portal was something that wasn't wide knowledge, but for someone like Emori it could be dangerous given that she had recently learned of her brother's death at the hands of Pike. "The Portal to the City of Light... have you seen..." Raven raised her hand.

"Emori... The portal only has a copy of the information about your brother. I don't..." Emori apologized.

"Knowing that part of him is there makes me happy," Emori spoke "...even if he only remembers the good things and not the bad ones."

"Emori..." Raven moved in with her words. "The Portal doesn't work that way. Most of what I have seen is that the remaining consciousness's that are there have started to remember their previous lives and have started to transform the environment Alie created into something they find more comfortable. I think Rebekka had something to do with that."

"Rebekka?!" Emori started to put the pieces together as she leaned forward and started to whisper. "As in the Pramheda?"

"The same one." Raven moved and started to check the strange black crown that had been placed upon Ontari's head. "Looks like the sensors need to be adjusted some." Raven moved into Mechanic mode as she started to move around Ontari's head moving the various sensors and antenna relays into place to where she could start updating the chip data in the Nightblood's skull. "Murphy, could you help me here and adjust the placement of the glucose pump feeding her brain tissue, one of the warning lights is blinking."

"Sure..." Murphy said getting up from his seat and walking over to the bed.

It had been strange seeing Abby's scans on Ontari's still breathing body. Even after having her chest cracked open and having his unwashed hands shoved into her chest to squeeze her black heart. Ontari proved to be a fighter. Whether this was from her being a Nightblood or from the Ice Nation, it didn't matter... she was alive. This pump was one of the things that was making the chip's work all that much easier as it worked to rebuild her brain.

"Murphy..." Ontari spoke as she started to wake up. Murphy looked at her as Raven flicked on the pump a few times with her fingers to make it flow better.

"Hey my Ice Princess... Good to see you wake up." Ontari started to lick at her lips.

"Thirsty..." Murphy moved to get a cup and placed to her lips and started to drink. "Water tastes good, not like water from snow from home..."

"Is there anything else you want my Heda?" Ontari grinned. Ontari realized that she had been hurt, and... Well realized the mistake of throwing Murphy, her Flamekeeper into the dungeon.

"Not now... I am hurt that bad?" Ontari was starting to understand her situation. Murphy had to sigh.

"The pressure is coming down to where you are awake more. The spot where Abby had to split your chest open so that I could keep your heart beating is healing." Murphy moved to pull down her sheet covering her up and exposed her naked chest. Taking the mirror that had caused her to become unsettled and he let her aim it to look at the sewn up wound between her now exposed breasts. Ontari did her best to move her hand to touch the stitching. Raven was doing her best to avoid looking at her so that she could have some privacy while she was in the room.

"Split my chest open?" Ontari groaned some as she tried to take a deep breath.

"On my order." Murphy lied, but it was a livable lie. "You know... I held your beating black heart. It is strong. Small, but it is strong."

"Held my heart..." Ontari seemed a little worried, but the scar stated otherwise. Ontari who had been used to people seeing her naked even as Nia's trophy was now uncomfortable, but more at the reason for the scar and not its placement. Nia had stripped her naked and had her chained near her the first few days on Ontari's arrival in the Ice Nation capital. The only person that didn't treat her like some trophy or some animal to be trained was Roan. Most of that Murphy got that from their grind and fight night together as Ontari tried to force Emori's name from Murphy's lips. No wonder the guy was so protective of her. The evil queen had at least a halfway decent son who gave the damn for his people, no wonder he had gotten banished. But now... well the Ice King had started to right some wrongs that his mother had done during his reign. Ontari would be a work in progress, but she needed something more and maybe knowing that people cared about her would be the key to helping her. With that Murphy decided to speak.

"Your little black heart is strong. That damn thing beat with a will of its own." Murphy was being honest there. Ontari moved to look at Raven.

"You... you are one of Premaheda Bekka's people." Ontari's brain was racing. "You have a portal..." Ontari did her best to remember the events and words spoken to her between her moments of semi-consciousness.

"I do... saw that Lexa was training you." Raven spoke as the young Nightblood lowered her gaze and started to pull up the blanket across her body. It wasn't out of modesty... "The other one that was working with her... you need the break before you spar with those two again."

"I am weak... a failure..." Ontari started to cry. Murphy moved over to hug her.

"You are not Ontari... just..." Murphy decided to either go blunt or tact.

"Inexperienced." Raven spoke up. "What... I see it and you saw it." Ontari started to pull herself deeper into the sheets. Seeing how Ontari was acting Raven reached out and stopped the young Nightblood. "Given that Nia denied you the training you truly needed so that she could control you." This was when Raven went her sarcastic self on the Nightblood as she used on Clark to usually put the young healer in line. "For someone whose ancestors were crafted by Rebekka's hand, you don't realize how much alike you are to her." That was when Raven started to poke Ontari on the head. "Bekka, I know that you can hear me. Get off your ass when you get a chance fixing the Singularity and talk with Ontari here. I turned one of your glitch filled creations into deleted code with Clark, so you owe me in repairing one of your Nightbloods by talking and mentoring her through that same rough age you went through growing up and the fuckup that took place that made you Heda." This response triggered something in the chip in Ontari's head.

"Lexxa?" Ontari spoke as she bit her lip as she looked at Raven. "Bekka's book. Can I have it to read?" The response brought about a look of understanding from Raven. "Lexxa wants to read it with me. Bekka is in the middle of making..." Ontari took a deep breath before she pronounced the words out. "... the... Ark orbital thrust tor decay bank system stable for a four century fall." The confused look on Ontari and Emori's faces spoke volumes, but for Raven and Murphy they understood what Bekka was doing was more important for the time being.

"Sure..." Raven spoke as she handed the book to Ontari. "I understand, her duties as Heda are taking precedence over your training under her. But she has let Lexa here be your guide in understanding her role in your history." Ontari started to understand done if the urgency taking place behind the scenes while she had be incapacitated in this bed.

"Murphy... can you get me some clothes?" Ontari looked to understand that some modesty would be needed.

"I see what I can track down. It might not be Ice Nation, but I will do my best to keep it mostly Grounder based." Murphy spoke looking at Ontari. Ontari did her best to look dominating, but it felt like Lexa was telling her to be humble with the fact she was alive.

"Skaikru will do, just go with what you think will look good... the things I like wearing." Ontari seemed smaller, but as she nodded as she turned to look at an unseen figure. "Bekka..." Ontari seemed to shift over in the bed to allow the unseen figure to sit on the bed next to her. Opening the book Ontari started to read.

"Is she?" Murphy started as Raven watched Ontari read through the text. " Leska... Bekka... they're here."

"Murphy I will make sure that Bekka and the other Hedas play nice with Ontari. You and 'mori here go track down some clothes." Ontari looked up to grin at Murphy as she glanced at him and Emori.

"I don't mind having Raven here. There are questions that Bekka has for her and I won't run off." Ontari looked down at her body. "So... You and Leska and Wanheda spent time together." Raven nodded at this. "Good... what is gene splicing? Because Bekka is talking about how she made the first Nightbloods."

Murphy grinned. Ontari was territorial, but now... Maybe this hunger for knowledge after the events would maybe shape her into being a better Heda. Maybe that was the reason Ontari jumped so hard at Jaha's deal. Now with Raven and the recent events and Rebekka's book before her, Ontari would probably start being less aggressive to those of the Coalition.

* * *

 

Ontari loved the feel of the garments on her body as she got out of the bed. Ontari would need crutches for the next few days until she got the strength back in her legs, but the key thing now was that she was mobile. Being disconnected from that blasted machine and having that strange crown on still bolted to her head to hold her skull together was enough to drive her crazy. On the other side of things, Ontari had learned much about what it meant to be Heda. Slaying all of the Nightbloods to claim the throne may had been one of her most stupid moves she had ever done now in hindsight. The previous Hedas hadn't liked that so for the first few days of her awakening from being treated by Skaikru, Bekka and the rest of the Hedas had kicked her ass. These were not children, these were her predecessors and they were going to make sure that she was going to learn things right or have her for trying.

Heda Einhart had been the worst. The combat training had been his forte and was she sore in the dream realm as he kept disarming her and throwing her around. Leska had been better given that she had been one to take time out to teach her right after Leska punched her in the face for cheating during the conclave. But Bekka... After at first thinking she was that rogue spirit Alie... Leska had stopped her. There was something different after Bekka had punched her. That and the phrase: "I should have deleted Alie right after she stole my appearance." Which took Ontari back as Bekka's knowledge started to fill her mind. But in this merging of the Flame and the Singularity as Raven had called it, the Hedas had taken it upon themselves to aid the spirits of those who could never return to the mortal world as they had either died or in Ontari's case had non-functional bodies. Raven had used Bekka's knowledge in her sacred book to reprogram the chip in her head that Jaha had given her to repair her brain and use her uploaded self to rebuild her memories.

Ontari would be herself, but not herself. Something very confusing, but understandable. Bekka had created the chips that had been used by Jaha and Alie for treatment of conditions like Ontari was now experiencing.

Bekka...

Bekka seemed to be more alive... less cold... more... well... Raven kon Skaikru... The life in her eyes as well as the pain of guilt of making some bad decision that weight greatly upon her. The flame had been created to bring out the best in the succeeding commanders and as a means to put things right in undoing the wrongs her creation Alie had done. With Ontari... Klark had been right to deny her the flame until the Commanders had finished with her training.

They had looked over Ontari's memories and found a lot of pain, but something there showed that Ontari could be shaped into a better commander. Yes she was violent, dangerous, but that had been caused due to what Nia had done to her. Ontari's hunger for knowledge was something that they could help her with. Her mind was the one thing that couldn't be taken from her, it could be messed with, but it couldn't be taken.

Now with Bekka and Leska sitting next to her as Ontari gritted her teeth to put on her boots, they were nudging her along. At least Murphy had saved her footwear when she had been brought here, she didn't want to break in a new pair. This was her good pair of boots.

"Ontari... I know that you were abused, but not everyone is evil." Bekka spoke as she rubbed Ontari's hand. Bekka was compassionate right now given that she was waiting for the remaining Ark ring to rise up high into the sky to a height that would ensure that it would stay there for generations to come.

"I was torn from my mother's arms... treated like a slave..." Ontari spoke as her muscles strained in her arms and leg so that she could slide her foot in.

"Pain shaped you. Now this pain can shape you again." Leska spoke. "You know how to fight, now you need a reason to fight for all Kru."

"I am not taking up your blood must not have blood policy." Ontari spoke aloud. This brought forth a glare from Bekka along with one of the other Commanders: Mahler.

"No... But the reason Leska put that policy in play was to cut down on the bloodshed. Kill who needed to be killed and not slaughter innocents such as those Skaikru farmers that Azgeda killed in their attempt to strike back at the corpses of the MountKru." Ontari started to realize Commander Mahler's words started to make sense.

"They were in the Mountain Men's lair, why would they take up home there? They knew what it looked like. Skaikru shouldn't have been there. They must have beyond stupid. What insane reason would they have taken up in living in those cursed caves?" Ontari spoke as she looked at Commander Mahler.

"Because planting season was coming to a close. If Garden station didn't plant right away they wouldn't be able to get their crops in before winter set in." A male voice spoke from the doorway. Ontari turned to see a young Skaikru male standing in the doorway. He had severely shortcut hair and was very lanky in his appearance. "Sorry, I was looking for Abby."

Ontari wanted to kill this boy for interrupting her conversation with her fellow Heda.

"Go away Skaikru." Ontari gritted her teeth as she tried to relax her foot to get her heel in.

"Swollen feet?" The Sky Boy said as he looked over at her. Ontari glared at him.

"Go... Away." Ontari spoke wishing she had a throwing dagger available near her. Maybe a spear just so that she could put her boots on in peace and have her talk with her fellow Heda.

"Let him help." Mahler spoke. "You are in the territory of a-would-be foe. Learning just a bit of information will gain you an edge later on."

Ontari growled at her boot. Seeing that the boy was leaving Ontari called out. At least she could gouge out his eyeballs with her hands. "Yes I have swollen feet. Now get your ass over here so that I may put these boots on so that I can at least leave this room. I am tired of looking at these damn four walls."

The boy was gone... with that Ontari swore in terms that...

"Hold on. I only move so fast." The boy said as he slowly started limping towards her. This caught her off. This member of Skaikru had been injured.

"Where were you?" Ontari spoke looking at him as he slowly approached her before kneeling down before her.

"Saw the note Murphy left on the door about you." The boy shrugged. "Had to read it before coming in."

"What did it say?" Ontari wanted to know what it meant.

"Ontari is dangerous when she is temperamental. Approach with caution, and stay out of arm's length when she is angry. Use tact when approaching her."

"Anything else did it say?" Ontari was curious as the boy moved to pick up her boot and braced it against his leg.

"You have a tendency to gouge out eyeballs when you get hold of someone." The boy said as he started to speak to her. Ontari didn't know to be insulted at this statement or not, but the Skaikru boy was taking the advice the warning had given him.

"Oh..." Ontari watched as the boy moved to take her boot off before running his fist into the boot to spread it out. "... You know I want to destroy Skaikru." Ontari spoke thinking that the boy would leave. Ontari wanted to assert her aura of fear over those she would rule or destroy.

"Why?" The boy shrugged. "We have no grudge against Roan... You... well Clark does hate you for killing several of the Nightbloods she was close to, but you personally... I think you seem calmer around Murphy. The only reason that he lied to you was to protect that girl Emori he cares about. Mostly he sees you as a fellow Hundred. Rough around the edges, doesn't fit in with society. Willing to fight for what you believe in. Everyone has blood on their hands. Even me. The only person that we had a grudge with was Nia, and she is now dead. Most of that was because of her orders to kill the survivors of Garden Station." She wasn't seen as a threat... Something else was going on. Murphy... Hundred... Wait... Hundred! Ontari had to learn more about these Hundred.

"Hundred?" This term had come up. Wanheda's Hundred. But given the way this boy was talking about it, it sounded like a different Kru.

"Those of us that were sent down. Clark wasn't always our leader. She just happened to be the one that was the best in dealing and talking with you and your fellow Grounders." The boy spoke as he started to slip the boot back onto Ontari's foot.

"Klark is not your leader?" Ontari spoke realizing that there was something more going on. "Then why follow her?"

"Because for whatever reason, Clark approached Lexa and put her into her place by calling her out on several topics when it came to us coming down on Trikru land."

"Something she did often," Leska spoke grinning at this statement. "I remember when she came into my command tent and just confronted me about the issues with Skaikru and the rest of the Coalition. Even unarmed she was a force to be reckoned with. But then, she saw something in me. Fear... fear of failing my people. I don't know if it was me ceding to showing my own fear to her, but she stopped and saw that she like me was among an equal. A moment that stunned both of us. Both of us worried about our Kru, those we cared about, and the death that would come to the innocent if we didn't tread wisely."

"Leska... wait... Klark... Wanheda? What this boy is saying is true?" Ontari reached out as the boy turned to look in the direction of where Laska was standing though he saw nothing even if she did see Leska in her full war paint. This revelation had caught Ontari by surprise.

"So... I take it you are talking to the avatar of Leska that is uploaded into that chip in your head." Ontari looked over at the boy who just shrugged. "Hey... You wanted them in your head." With that the boy reached over and took her leg into his hand. "Okay... slide your foot in now." With that Ontari's foot moved into her boot with ease.

"How did you do that?" Ontari asked as she flexed her foot inside of her boot.

"Just something I figured out in helping my friend Raven after the Mountain Men drilled into her leg to get her bone marrow." Ontari felt her foot slide into the toe ruts of her boot. The blood of Wanheda flowing between her fingers would be nothing compared to feeling this again. That and making love in her bed for pleasure.

"You are a friend of Raven's?" Ontari looked at the wounded boy as she started to get some sense of his relationship to the technological sorceress who had aided in Wanheda in her battle.

"I am... Name's Jasper." The boy reached out to take her hand. "Want to try the other boot?" Ontari looked as she started to realize that though she wanted to kill... was her urge to kill Skaikru the result of some desire for control. Skaikru had been Nia's enemies, but Klark had only gone after Nia because she had threatened the Coalition and Skaikru, and Leska. "Hello... Earth to Ice Princess. Want me to help with the other boot?" The Skai... Jasper spoke to her. Ontari nodded as the boy repeated the process that he had used on the first boot with the second one.

Klark not leader of Hundred... Just one who happened to be able to talk to the other Commanders without being killed. Wanheda seemed to almost willing to leave her and Roan alone... Kill Nia... Leave Roan and her alone. This started Ontari thinking. Roan was now king... Skaikru was leaving them alone. Roan asked Wanheda to help him make her Commander. She had been willing... It had to do with Luna... Then the memory hit. Luna had said no... No right at the beginning. Alie had forced them to come to her.

"It seems to be in the best interest for there to be an Ice Nation Commander." Klark had said.

Luna had said no... Roan... Roan had convinced Wanheda to... Ontari winced. Alie had feared the Flame. The spirit had gone as far to bash in her head to keep the Flame from destroying her...

But this had changed the rules when it came to the situation beforehand. Ontari realized that Roan had been shot pointblank in the chest. How had he survived? Had he liked her been saved by Skaikru healers?

Feeling Jasper place the neck of her boot upon her foot, Ontari made the decision to search out and find Roan...

"Jasper of Skaikru... Do you know where Roan of Azgeda is?" Ontari decided that for the time being crushing this boy's skull in wouldn't be in her interests... well until she learned more about where she was at and a possible means of escape.

"The last I heard, Clark and him were talking about the situation about the reactors that were in the Ice Nation." Reactor... that meant furnace... The Ice Nation was under threat because of her. If Alie had set them ablaze on their lands... then how many other lands would have been harmed by her actions?

But hearing Roan was alive meant that she could get some answers from him on the situation.

That was good... Find Roan... scout out this place... disembowel Skaikru when they least expected it.

"Hand me my crutches and lead me to them." Ontari spoke doing her best order to the boy, but holding back on making it sound harsh. The boy did so.

"You know... For an Ice Nation girl you kinda of beautiful." Ontari was taken back by this.

"Enough to be a rival to the beautiful Wanheda?" Ontari spoke seeking out the layout of the social order of this Hundred.

"More Octavia than Clark." There was some sadness in his voice. "You are like Octavia prior to her losing Lincoln." Ontari got the feeling that she needed to learn more about these Hundred, but given what had happened this Octavia she may have gained an ally in the form of a threat to greater than herself to Wanheda. That thought made her happy. Maybe being part of this Hundred wouldn't be such a bad thing.


	3. The Arkers

Ontari moved slowly studying the sights around her. There was so much metal around her that you could equip every person in the Ice Nation with a sword and still have enough left over to given them a knife as well and possibly a hinge for every door in the kingdom. Jasper was walking with his noticeable limp, but he was staying near her as she was dictating how fast they were walking through the hallways. The look on Jasper's face was part worry, but part concern about her as she moved down the hallway they were in as she experimented using the crunches she had in various ways. He was letting her have her independence but seeing that on their way out of the Healer's section of Skaikru's fortress, Ontari had seen Abby their healer working on treating some of the more severely injured that had been brought to this place. What tore at Ontari was the fact that several of the injured hat been of her fellow Ice Nation.

These people were her enemy, but seeing that they had cared for even those who would kill them in their sleep was a stark change from what Pike had done in retribution spoke much to what had possibly taken place during Ontari's slumber. It might have been Roan's actions in the crisis, but the mood was of worry, but not of the death that had happened, but of something else.

A young Ice Nation girl who was coming into her budding looked up from her injured mother who had been injured in the fighting. The girl had the marks of being crucified on her wrists. But the strength was there. But the look in her eyes spoke that like her... there would be wounds. Though there was anger in the girl's tension, most of that seemed to be chocked up to being powerless in stopping the events that had taken place. A Trikru healer moved by the bed to check the bandages on the mother before moving on and roughly speaking to the Skaikru healer in broken Gonasleng.

"Ontari Kon Azgeda, see and learn." There was no hate to those words from the girl when she turned to look at her. "I do not blame you for what happened while you were under Alie's spell. She went for any weakness, she even found your's even as she hunted away for mine while I was on the cross." The look stated that she had been taken and thrown back during the battle. How long had this girl lasted being nailed to the cross before she had taken the chip? Ontari didn't want that answer, but given the girl was able to use her hands without too much pain stated that Alie hadn't forced her way into girl's mind too far before she had been cut down.

The room for hate had faded, only understanding that they had to endure so that they could have a future.

Ontari looked around to see the price paid to free her as she started to count the beds.

Each bed had a warrior, a farmer, a smith, father, son, mother, daughter.

"Bekka... please guide this young Heda." A young girl spoke. Ontari turned to see who was speaking. But when Ontari saw the wounds her stupid decisions hit home. The young girl was a Nightblood. Ontari moved over to her on her crutches.

"How... how did you get hurt?"

"The ones that followed Alie came after us while we were on our way to Polis." There was a pause. "I was on my way there for my training. I didn't want to take the chip... So... they tried to..." Ontari understood.

"They tried to kill you." The girl nodded.

"My parents fought to protect me... Before the men and women screamed out in pain when Wanheda slew their queen."

"Wanheda fought and won against Alie... You heard that I had been brought here and came to learn." the girl nodded.

"I have a few cuts and bruises from the fight. But the cut on my head is what had everyone worried. But I leave this bed in a day after they check where they sewed me up."

"You want to start your training." There was a nod.

"I am..."

"Ontari... let her be, but come back. Let her be a child for a little while longer." Bekka and Leska stood beside the girl. "Challenges of training as well as yours is going to shape the future for the Nightbloods to come."

"What is your name?" Ontari spoke.

"Artesia of the Broadleaf." The Nightblood spoke.

"Artesia... rest... get better. Training will start when you are ready." Ontari spoke as she caressed the girl's cheek.

With that Ontari felt the eyes upon her and knew that she would be judged by the actions she took next.

"Jasper of Skaikru, please take me to Roan and Wanheda." The Skaikru boy nodded and motioned for her to follow him.

The steps felt weird as she smelled blood, dirt, and some cleaning fluids being used. Individuals were moving about their lives. Some were wounded as the occasional member of some Kru or another was working or handling some task at hand. There was some tension in the air as they passed but it wasn't focused upon her. A group of Trikru children were playing with some young Skaikru off in the distance in one of the halls but when one of the Skaikru saw them, the child came to a dead stop.

The boy looked afraid, but as she passed Ontari started to realize that the boy wasn't afraid of her... he was afraid of Jasper. This is when she stopped and turned towards Jasper.

"Skaikru... Why is this child afraid of you?" Ontari knew that her fearful presence was something to be known... But here... she hadn't been seen as a threat, though her guide had. This is when a Trikru woman wearing soft orange colored clothing approached her.

"Heda Ontari... they are scared of him because he is not just Hundred, but he was also Alie's General in the City of Light." This statement had Ontari's attention. The Skaikru boy just sighed.

"Leska should just have punched me harder." Ontari was stunned. "Guess that Monty shooting me was better than the look I get now from those who were in the City of Light." Ontari knew the name. A woman with brown eyes that she had encountered in the City of Light had said that she had a son by the name... she seemed sad that he wasn't there with her, but happy that she had found peace there... Alie had taken away her pain She had a son... a member of Skaikru...

"You were a member of Alie's army?" Ontari looked at the young man. He should have been locked in chains, not free to walk around.

"Alie ordered me to go after Clarke, wasn't expecting to run into every damn one of your predecessors in the process helping Clarke out." Jasper spoke as he moved to crack his neck. The loud popping sound spoke volumes before he sighed to look at the child before them.

"When I was slammed back, it felt like my heart had been ripped out." There was some sadness there in his voice. "I have to remember the face of the Floatkru girl Shay, who I befriended that died at the hands of Alie while trying to help Clarke."

"Was it your hands that killed her?" A Trikru girl spoke as she moved over to look at Jasper.

"No... She had been shot with an arrow by those whom Alie sent to attack Clarke and the others." Ontari started to remember this from her time in the City of Light. Then Jasper... Coffee Ontari?

"Wait... You were that person in the city of light that bought me that drink!" Ontari spoke.

"Wait... you are that girl that worked in the library that was reading those civics and historical texts?" Jasper spoke realizing whom she had been. That was when he walked over to Ontari and started to trace the marking on her face. Placing a hand over one of her cheeks Ontari started to realize that she had removed many of her scar markings to look more like one of the other Kru. Being a member of the feared Ice Nation was one thing, but without a few of her markings, she looked to be like everyone else. Invisible... felt good even walking among those rows of texts with all of the knowledge at her fingertips. No one to stop her or say that the knowledge was forbidden for her to know. It was just there.

English Kings, Roman Emperors, American Presidents, Canadian Prime Ministers, all of it. Ontari read text upon text upon text. The smell of the paper, the smooth spine of the texts, she was no servant girl... she was... she was...

"Remembering what Alie used to lure you into the City of Light on you." Ontari nodded as she was snapped back to reality.

"She used my hunger for knowledge to..."

"Government text... and literature." Jasper understood. "I saw you reading about Queen Boudicca and Cleopatra." Jasper took her hand. "You seem more of the Boudicca type and less Cleopatra. I mean Boudicca was a mom who fought to protect and avenge her children. Cleopatra was just sex and power."

"So... what did Murphy tell you about us?" Ontari winced. She was losing her position of power due to her fucking her Flamekeeper.

"Nothing much other than... Nia really screwed you up with all of her Ice Nation first doctrine brainwashing. You were learning tact, but the warrior in you feels more comfortable among those who know how to fight in more ways than one." Jasper looked at her. "You are not weak, but..." this is when the Skaikru boy started to grin. "Maybe Lexa was right as asking Clarke to make you a member of the Hundred before everything went crazy with Pike, Lexa's death, your ascension, and the... well Alie taking over the world."

"Wanheda was going to make me her servant!" Ontari felt insulted. She would never be anyone's servant ever again!

"No... a member of the Hundred. Like Murphy, Her, Me... Harper, Monty, Bellamy... I think even Lexa was going to become a member of the Hundred." Now this had her attention. Lexa was going to join this Hundred. Why would a Heda join a group of Skaikru? There was something more going on. Ontari decided to probe the situation.

"Was Lexa going to be subservient to Wanheda?" Ontari spoke testing out the waters.

"From what I understand, Lexa wanted all of the Nightbloods to receive some training from the Hundred, but also she wanted some insight into how to use a group made up of individuals such as ourselves in your society." There was this pause. "I mean an Ice Nation Nightblood who knew how a member of Skaikru thought or as an ally who could tell their people about us as well as tell us about them... their society, what made them so fierce upon the ice plains." Jasper spoke as Ontari started to realize that this was more of a diplomatic position. Skaikru wanted an Ice Nation ambassador to learn about them, maybe other Kru as well so that they could have some insight into how to function in this world.

"Then why do you serve the Hundred?" There was a pause from Jasper.

"Because after all that has happened, I am still Hundred. For all of the pain, all of the stealing, all the death that I have caused... These are my friends, family, and people I care about." Jasper spoke looking over at the children. "I am a delinquent that was chosen because I was a good thief, but got caught. Now my fate is to ensure that my skills are used to help my fellow Hundred to survive."

A Thief... This was good.

"So... Servant girl... murderer... warrior... book nerd." Jasper spoke. "Not a bad set of skills to have." Jasper was complimenting her; it was like he was sizing up her skills against that of the rest of his order. This is when Ontari's attention shifted back to looking at the youth.

"Is what he says about the Hundred true? You are afraid of him being a thief?" Now this caused a few shift around to the Skaikru children.

"Not really... maybe because he was sent to the Sky box. It is like a dungeon that we had while we were in the sky. There were some pretty nasty criminals up there. Not like your fellow grounders when it comes to hurting people... but nasty... mean..." Grounders... the Skaikru slang for anyone not of Skaikru... "Sorry about using the word Grounder..." The child apologized. "Commander Ontari." That last part had her full attention. This child knew of her status.

"How is your speaking of my tongue?" Ontari spoke.

"Um... fair..." The child did in some broken Trigedasleng. "I am still working on floating daughter friend." The child winced. "Working on speaking with my friends." The child motioned to the other children.

"You need more work. Floating Daughter Friend?" Ontari spoke aloud rolling her eyes. "Figures that Skaikru would be interested in knowing members of Floukru."

"Floukru?" another Skaikru child spoke.

"Luna's clan... Good people, just don't mess with her or her people if you try to force yourself upon them. The only person that ever kicked Clarke's ass in a fight." Now Ontari took note for that. The might Wanheda had fallen to the blows of another Nightblood. Even if she was a coward.

"Their leader is a Nightblood." Ontari decided to scare these children a little. "Born of the fury of Pimeheda Bekka. A creature of strength and power that should be respected or she will kill you for disobeying her."

"Like you... and Lexa." Jasper added. "You have the fury part down, but Lexa was known for using her head. When she chopped someone's head off, there had been a damn good reason for it." This is when one of the children reached out and touched her on the arm before pulling quickly back.

There was hesitation in the child's action, but mostly when Ontari didn't react to her being touched the child started to trace their fingers back along the back of her hand. She needed to control these children, but... she remembered Lexa's and especially Bekka's words.

"You know... there is another Nightblood here." Ontari spoke. "She might want be cheered up. Her name is Artesia of the Broadleaf." Ontari felt something going on with her. Memories of what Nia had done to her... She shook for a second remembering all of the violence Nia had done to her. No... Artesia would have a better life than she had. This is when Jasper moved over to her.

"Ontari... it is alright, Murphy said that Nia had denied you much of your Nightblood birthright. Punished you even for trying to explore it without her vetting what you learned." Ontari looked over at Jasper. "There is a lot of knowledge you are missing even with the flame in your head."

"I am not weak."

"Who says you are." Jasper looked at her. "Nia is dead. Embrace being a Nightblood. Fight to be something more than what you were. Fight for those kids, the people you care about. Not as a Heda. Not for your Kru, but as the woman you are." Ontari was shocked at this.

"My blood is no longer is Black." Ontari spoke.

"It is just a blood transfusion. Hell you have Clarke's blood in you. She almost has been acting more like Lexa lately. So why don't you start thinking about What it means to be Wanheda... You know Clarke was trained as a healer." This forced Ontari think hard about the situation she had been placed into. Wanheda... Healer... Ontari had been given the power of Wanheda as a gift... Then if Wanheda had her blood in her... Then... Nightblood.

"What has she done with my blood... Does she still have the..." Ontari remembered... Singularity.

"The flame chip. Last I heard the Flame AI is in its box. Clarke took it out of her head after the battle with Alie and saying goodbye to Lexa. I think it is still operational considering that the files, er... people in it were copied up into the Singularity."

"Then it is empty?" Ontari wanted to know if her desire for the flame had been for naught. If the Commanders were drifting around like she had seen them, then...

"No... I mean, they are there in the Flame... Chip... But also they are in the Singularity. Mostly... Didn't Murphy tell you that they were helping those stuck without bodies come to understand their new existence?" Jasper spoke as the children started to look at her.

Ontari needed to dominate her position before this Skaikru. Then, Kill... Fuck... Murphy.

Ontari's mind started to shift around as she started to shift back and forth between reality and memory.

Ontari felt her body spasm as he back arched backwards. Part pain, part orgasm. Part yelling in her head that she should have eaten earlier.

"Ontari!" Jasper rushed over to her and kept her from falling to the ground.

Where was she... Nia... she needed to get to Nia's... The Spear.

Free...

Cute boy holding her.

"Ontari?" Memories flushed back as the boy spoke.

Nia stripping her naked and throwing her into a trunk so that she couldn't run away and get back to her mother and her village near the falls. Back to the safe arms of her mother.

_"You are going to be my Nightblood."_  Ontari gritted her teeth as she reached up to pound on the sides of her head from the pain. She wanted to hit her head against something. Wood. Steel. Anything to make this pain stop.

"Ontari..." The Boy... Jasper called out.

Ontari was hungry. Stomach growling. She was starving.

_Help._

She needed to eat… Eat now… Starving Hunger. Pain.

**_Water and nutrient loss detected._ **

**_Warning. Warning. Glucose levels reaching unacceptable levels for brain operation._ **

**_Body repair process interrupted._ **

**_Brain tissue repair and high level function activity reaching danger levels._ **

**_Activating vocal assistance protocols._ **

**_Overriding host vocal systems._ **

**_Sending distress._ **

"Food... Fruit..." Ontari spoke sensing what she hungering for as a force took over her body. "Head hurts. Thirsty."

Then something was squeezed into her mouth... Sweet. Berries...

There was a blonde woman standing over her.

Golden Wolf...

Wanheda.

"What happened?" The woman spoke.

"I don't know... we were talking and..." Jasper started to speak as Clarke broke out a small stick like object and a light started to be shined into her eyes.

"Ontari..." Wanheda snapped her fingers. "Can you hear me?"

Ontari nodded.

"What is wrong with the Heda?" A child's voice spoke.

"Ontari. Did you eat today?" Wanheda spoke. The light was shown in her eyes.

"No." Ontari croaked.

"Drink before now?" Wanheda spoke. Ontari was working hard to remember.

"Don't know." Ontari felt her eyes hurt as she felt her body being lifted up.

"Jasper... Make sure that she gets some fluids into her as well make sure that she eats something." This was when something sticky and sweet was placed into her mouth by someone pre-chewing it and pushing the contents in. "I need you to swallow."

"What is that?" Jasper spoke.

"Something that Sankru uses on their long messenger rides." Wanheda spoke before "It is a sort of nut paste and dried meat mix." Ontari did her best to choke down the material. "Need some water?" Ontari nodded. "Listen, when I was in Polis I learned a lot of stuff. Most of it was the Politics of the coalition, but this is the stuff that I was trained for."

"So while you were in Polis, you were looking up what to learn from other healers?" Jasper spoke as Wanheda sighed.

"Yes..." The rumor that Wanheda being a healer was true...

"So what is wrong?" Jasper spoke.

"Ontari didn't eat and her body maxed out its search for Glucose in her body." Wanheda spoke.

"She had a sugar crash... Crap..." Now this got Jasper's attention. "Wait... you mean that she is diabetic?" Diabetic... That sounded bad. If this was Skaikru disease, it would make killing them all that much easier.

"Borderline. The chip is grabbing all of the sugar from her body to heal her brain tissue."

"So because of what Alie did to her with the entire her head being smashed in... and what you did to heal her. This happened to her?" A child spoke.

"Ontari's body is working overtime to heal the damage from where her chest got split open and her head injury, yes." Ontari took another swig from the water skin. Diabetic didn't mean disease; it was the name of the symptoms she had from recovering from injuries.

"More of the Sankru..." Ontari motioned to her mouth for wanting another bite of the food.

With that Wanheda let her take a bite of the log of paste without it being pre-chrewed. Ontari looked around. She was sitting on some stairs. Ontari moved to take another swig from the pouch. It was going to be a while, but despite being in a weak position Wanheda was studying her. Watching her regain her strength.

After a long moment Ontari started to speak.

"I want to kill you." Wanheda just sighed.

"Why... Because of what Nia taught you?" the statement took Ontari back.

"I have a knife..." Ontari spoke as she pulled out the blade she had and placed it towards Wanheda's neck.

Wanheda wasn't fighting her.

There was a growing crowd starting to form.

"You want my fealty. Or do you want people to respect you. Want people to fear you. Ontari... You are not worth the fight. But I will let you keep this knife by my neck until your arm tires." Wanheda spoke.

This was an insult as Ontari kept eating. Wanheda was keeping her head. No fear. She should be fearing her. Should be angry for slaying the other Nalblada... Ontari slugged down a mouthful of water. Wanheda was just sitting there.

"Wonder why they call me the Golden Wolf?" Wanheda spoke. This woman was showing no fear... She should be afraid of her. "Part of it comes from my hair color, and how I fight." This is when Wanheda sniffed Ontari's hand. "You are scared but not of me." Ontari tried to push the blade forward but something was stopping her.

Not of her... This golden haired whore... said not of her... Ontari growled.

"I will kill you." Ontari grunted.

_Position... Power... Strength._

"Get in line." Wanheda spoke. "There are things worse than you out there."

Get in line... This was becoming an insult. Get... In... Line!

"She doesn't know how bad things are?" Jasper spoke. "Do you want me go and get Roan?" Wanheda nodded.

"I am Heda... You bow to me. Not I bow to you." Ontari took another slug of water.

"Ontari you have a knife to my neck. But all I see is a scared girl, who was abused, hurt, and harmed by a woman who used others as pawns in her game. Someone who is fighting to free herself from the chains that had been placed upon her." Wanheda sighed as she reached out and placed her hand on the blade on neck. "You are fighting to free yourself from that chain. I see the fire in your eyes. You are a fellow wolf, Ontari. Never raised as part of a pack, but a fellow wolf. You have bared your fangs, you are growling. But has a fellow wolf brought you food? Realize that to get free you need help from the rest of the pack that has found you."

Pack... Wolves... What was Wanheda up to?

"Speak what you mean?" Ontari felt insulted.

"Ontari... You are a member of the Hundred. Lexa ordered it. I will train you as a member of our rank. Murphy will help in teaching you your Nightblood history and the politics involved. Ontari kon Azgeda is no more. Ontari Mugan kon Honet descendant of Rebekka Mugan, Pramheda Bekka is who is before me. Whatever loyalty to whatever Kru or station you came from no longer matters. You are Hundred. Your loyalty is to those beside you as your brothers and sisters. To protect all, and not to die." there was fury in those eyes. "You are far from weak. Fight to be a better person and not Nia's or anyone's puppet."

"You threaten me?" Ontari spoke.

"No... Ontari... I ask you stand." Wanheda spoke. "Sister."

The last word hit hard.

Ontari started to worry. Wanheda was not looking down at her. She was looking right at her.

"Explain this Hundred." Ontari was concerned.

"What do you want to know?" Ontari's arm was getting heavy.

"Are you an army?"

"No... But we will fight for those who need our help." Who were these people?

"Your origins are Skaikru?"

"Yes, the first lot were from the Ark. But we have taken in other members from different groups such as Trikru as our own members have asked to join other Kru because they feel more at home with them." Nation status wasn't important to these individuals. Whatever had happened had caused some shift in their society to form this group.

"How were the first hundred formed?" Ontari wanted to know that side of things.

"After the great fires that covered the earth, the survivors on the stations had to connect them together to form the Ark to share resources. It was supposed to be temporary until the planet became habitable again. We didn't know what had happened on the surface that it could support life again almost a generation or two ago. During those decades in space our population grew to being that of four hundred individuals." Wanheda sighed. This was becoming interesting. Four hundred individuals. "Life on the Ark wasn't easy, but it was home. The Ark had strict measures that had been in acted after the great fires. The Ark had strict measures that included capital punishment for those over eighteen years of age as well as strict population control issues when it came to the number of children families could have. This is why my friend Octavia was sentenced to be locked up till she was eighteen because she was a second child and second children were forbidden due to the limited number of resources we had available to us."

"What would have happened to Octavia when she turned eighteen?" Wanheda sighed.

"She would have been spaced…" This is when Wanheda clarified a moment later. "She would have been executed." A death sentence for being a second born child? Ontari chewed on the imagery of this world. Even the Ice Nation at its worse was nothing like this.

"Continue to speak of the Ark." Ontari spoke realizing that holding a knife to this woman who was forged in a world like this was someone she needed to carefully handle.

"Several years ago, my father was the Ark's chief engineer found out that the Ark was dying. When he tried to announce it to everyone on the station he was tried for treason. I was the one who reported on him to my leaders. Since I overheard him talking about the station condition I was locked up for being a traitor right after my father's execution." There was something more. Something that Wanheda was holding back, but seeing one's parent killed before you would bring up some bad memories. After a long moment Wanheda continued.

"Years later my mother who had become one of the council members and using my father's knowledge of how long the stations had left to survive, she and several others on our council made the decision to send a hundred delinquents, criminals down to the surface to see if it was survivable. Most of us had committed petty crimes up to murder, so sending us down was considered a blessing as we were all considered expendable. The two reasons that we had been chosen was, first... without us in the system the stations could have another month of air to last on as the scrubbers that filtered our air along with the plants we had, had reached their limited of how much they could clean the air. The second reason was that we were all young and healthy, if the colony failed there would be at least survivors from the Ark living on the Earth."

Wanheda had been exiled from her people.

She didn't see herself as Skaikru...

Neither did Murphy.

"How many members of Skaikru were on the station?" Ontari at least could get their numbers if a hundred individuals had been banished to keep the rest of their people alive.

"Two thousand two hundred and thirty-seven when the Hundred left. Fifteen hundred died during the Unity Day Mutiny when their decent ship crashed to the ground as a result of the individuals in Mount Weather. Another Three hundred and Twenty were euthanized as part of the Culling to keep the rest of the people on the Ark Alive." Ontari quickly did the math in her head.

"That means there are..."

"Four Hundred plus individuals left, not counting the Hundred." There was a sag in Wanheda's shoulders. "But we don't know if they landed in places like in the Ice Nation or anywhere else. That is not counting the new births." This is when a Skaikru woman opened up.

"There are nine pregnancies on the way." The woman said as she leaned against the wall. "Monty had me searching for baby clothes from the different Grounder villages around here as well as inside of Mount Weather."

"So... the reason that you are here with your people is because..." Ontari was getting the feeling that this was bad.

"Because they need all the help they need. They don't deserve to die out in ways that make choking to death on your last breath seem like an act of mercy. There are children. Innocents... there has been enough blood spilt that those here deserves a chance at a life without looking over their shoulder for Death to appear. I don't just mean Skaikru." Wanheda had the eyes of a wolf looking at her.

Ontari looked at the blade at Wanheda's throat. Commander of Death... That was an understatement.

Wanheda's people had been dying. Fighting for just another day of life had forged these people hard.

Harder than any cold winter the Ice Nation could throw at any of her people's warriors.

These people, especially the Hundred had lived with Death as a constant threat. It had always been near them, creeping at the edge of their vision.

Ontari's threats meant nothing now.

Even the knife in her hand by this woman's throat...

Shit... This probably felt like home to Wanheda.

No wonder Skaikru and the Hundred had racked up such a body count in their short time on the ground.

No wonder Alie had underestimated them.

Death was a foe they had spared with every day since their birth.

These people were going to fight to live up to and beyond their last breath.

They saw her as an arrogant child.

Ontari waited for the response as she realized that all of her growling had just let these wolves know that she was a fighter.

There was no seeing her as weak, but there was a spark that they were around something familiar.

Something that wanted to bring her home as a part of its pack.

"What do you plan to do with me?" Ontari looked at Wanheda very concerned.

"Nia was our enemy, you are not. Lexa wanted me to train you, make you unlock your potential."

"Train me to do what?"

"To live and not to die." Simple words. Serious meanings behind them.  

Blood must have Blood was nothing.

These were born fighters.

No wonder Lexa wanted to join their ranks.

And now Ontari realized that she was one of these warriors rank.

"What do I do now?" Ontari realized that she had passed some test.

"Learn, and keep up."


	4. Masks of Pain and Healing

Roan was hurting, being shot hurt. Cracked Ribs hurt. Breathing hurt. But none of that mattered. The battle before him, that was important.

Over the last week, he had fought a demonic disembodied witch, stormed Polis with a handful of warriors, and nearly died more times than he wanted to count.

Pain meant that he was alive.

He wasn't moving fast. But this is where cunning and skill came into play.

Now in the war room within Skaikru's home he looked over the maps of this battle to come.

Polis was a mess, even taking it back had been a mess.

Roan winced as he sighed.

"King Roan... Still worried about what happened to the Nightblood boy who brought us the message?" The Floukru ambassador spoke.

"No my friend." Roan weighed his decision.

"Then what is it?" The ambassador Spoke.

"That boy's fate might be the fate of us all if we don't approach these foes well." Both individuals looked over at the picture the young Nightblood had painted of one of the many threats that Alie had left behind as her act of spite. The fact that it was housed behind a sheet of leaded glass spoke of the deadliness of the situation at hand.

Many of the Ambassadors of the Coalition had thought Clarke's warnings of a new threat before them was a myth until this picture had been seen by them all. That the the recounts of the Sankru warrior Caris when she had come across a rider on a horse that looked to have been boiled as he rode to warn other of this threat. The rider had made that image with his own blood as the flesh started to dissolve off of his bones. The recounting of what he had found had made those of Caris's group blood run cold. He gave his last breath and beyond to ensure that warning about this evil could be spread.

Now as Caris of Sankru looked over too at the drawing of the building that was on fire that she had brought in. Roan didn't envy the position the young warrior had been in when she had found the Nightblood or the fact that she had stayed with him and burned his body when he had finally succumbed. Even with the potion that Skaikru had given her to keep her from getting sick had been a small miracle. The blue ink compound that they had put in the young woman's body had been something that the ancient Skaikru had used during their early days in the sky before they invented blood forging. Thought she was more upset at the fact that they had to burn her clothes and scrub her down and her horse to ensure that the poisoned smoke didn't work its way into her flesh.

Over the last few weeks Roan had been somewhat impressed by Clarke's work at keeping the Coalition together. Even asking for his help on occasion when it came to dealing with various factions.

"King Roan..." Caris spoke as she looked over at the map as the reports started to come in. "... I hadn't known there were this many fires." Caris scratched at her body as she started to get used to her new clothes. Some of the Garments had come from trades with the nearby Trikru, but her blue and black shirt had been given to her by Wanheda herself just so that she could look formal in the current line of affairs.

"We are lucky to have found the Nine fires so far and the five buildings that are on the verge of burning have had teams dispatched to them to keep them from igniting." Roan spoke as a messenger came in with another set of dispatches. Messenger birds had arrived to their nests with the updates on the situation back in Polis and this poor lad and others had been riding back and forth from there to here until they could at least finish scrubbing the streets free of blood at fix the lift in the Council's tower. "What word do you bring?" Roan spoke to the young lad.

"Several messages from Floukru as well as from Azgeda." Roan moved to take the reports from the young man. Roan read through the reports. Smoke clouds had been seen from several villages in Azgeda as well as several Floukru ships had taken note of several of these strange buildings that had been on fire. Given that word had been sent around to the various Kru that these buildings should be found, but they were to say out of range of the smoke and flames due to their toxicity.

So far with Clarke's help, most of these structures had been found and identified. Considering that they were looking for only Thirteen of them, that meant that there was roughly one for each of the nations involved. So far the ones that were not burning had to be investigated and ensured that they didn't catch on fire. But it was a race against time to keep the smoke from spreading and the lands from being poisoned. This was when a young member of the Skaikru started to knock on the door. Looking up from the reports Roan saw that it was one of Clarke's friends, Jasper.

"Roan... Ontari is awake and she has a knife on Clarke's throat." The day was going well until now.

"Ontari." Roan groaned out as he started to walk out of the war room. "Take me to her." With that Jasper motioned for Roan to follow him. It was strange seeing how people had started to gather around the scene, but upon arriving Ontari was still holding the knife, but in a less threatening way. This was more defensive. Ontari had moved back into a crude crouching stance but Clarke had placed the young Nightblood on notice that her childish actions would not be tolerated.

"Wanheda..." Ontari swallowed. "...are you going to strike me for..." Clarke just placed a hand on Ontari's wrist that was holding the blade.

"Is that how Nia trained you? Pain for disobedience or failure?" Roan was watching this but stayed near as he let this play out.

"It was." There was a great weight placed upon Clarke's shoulders.

"Nightbloods are not beaten when they are trained." Ontari started to listen as whatever aggression Ontari tended to go to was now driving back to her curiosity.

"Then how are they trained?" Clarke was letting Ontari move the situation along. Ontari was a dangerous creature when cornered. The Golden Wolf was letting this wolf of the Ice Nation feel out the situation.

"They are not trained, they are mentored." Ontari was surprised by this. "Lexa and Titus did their best to guide along certain traits that would make for good leadership." Clarke looked at the blade. "Nia trained you as a fighter, but also as an observer. Something that caught notice of a poisoned blade, to strike when ready."

"She did." Ontari seemed to poking the dirt around Clarke like a wolf a manner that he was familiar with since his late whore of a mother dragged the girl into their court.

"Those are skills that will serve you well. Given the events that have taken place since your slumber we need your knowledge about what Nia possibly hid from Roan when she was Queen of the Ice Nation to help save your people. Alie left a few parting gifts behind before she was defeated."

"And I am damned if I am going to be losing any more of our people needlessly because of these events." Roan's heavy voice echoed throughout the hallways in chambers of Arkadia.

"Roan." Ontari turned to look at him. Her knife was still lifted, but in the situation she looked like a scared child. Clarke was staying still but was letting the girl calm down slowly and on terms that wouldn't get out of hand.

"Thanks for the blade Roan. It helped me and Ontari understand one another." Roan chuckled. Ontari looked at the knife in her hand.

"Clarke... It is the same knife I gave you to strike down Lexa." The statement caught Ontari by surprise. "Knowing you, you found another use for it to strike down another foe."

"Though it was able to help me find the truth behind why Lexa did what she did during the attack on Mount Weather." Ontari raised the blade up and swung it at Clarke. Then something happened, the blade came to a hard stop when it came to Clarke's throat. Ontari freaked as she struck several more times leaving no damage to Clarke.

"What magic is this?" Ontari was defensive.

"Ontari..." Clarke did her best to calm Ontari down but the young Nightblood moved backwards away from Clarke. "You have been lied to so much. Roan found a knife that makes one bring forth the truth while he was exiled. You have been lied to so much that you do not know lies from the truth. It won't allow you harm anyone when the truth is present." Clarke moved to take up the blade in Ontari's hand and with the young Nightblood still grabbing it Clarke spoke. "I am Pramheda Bekka." Then she cut herself. Blackish blood started to fall to the floor. "You need this more than I do." Ontari started to blink. Clarke had her blood flowing through her veins.

"What..." Ontari looked scared but as Clarke let girl who was holding the knife there was a clear nervousness to as she looked at the blade in her hand.

"You are girl who comes from a bloodline that has made many mistakes but has done much good to rebuild this world." Clarke spoke. "Your blood is in my veins as mine is yours."

"So I am still a member of the Hundred?" Ontari spoke sensing that she had gone through some test.

"You are." There was a deep sigh from Clarke. "Roan... So how have the meetings with the Lake People, Floukru and Delphi go?"

"The reports are still coming in about those burning buildings spewing out that poison smoke upon those lands. Floukru found another one. So far we have been able to evacuate several Azgeda villages from the path of the smoke from the burning structure on Azgeda lands."

"Why hasn't someone put out the fires to these burning structures?" Ontari sounded pissed. But Roan and Clarke looked at her with some sternness as she started to realize that, that specific option had been used already. "That option had been used, hasn't it?"

"Ontari... The main reason that we haven't put out these fires, is that what they are made out of is so poisonous that even at a distance, the smoke from these places melted the flesh off of the very riders and their steeds when they approached them."

"Alie's little going away present before she was defeated." Clarke spoke looking at Ontari. "It is a mess on a scale that no one was prepared for."

"Think buildings made from the wood of the Acid Trees, then imagine those buildings the size of nearly half of Polis. That is our foe." Roan spoke as he made his way through the gathered crowd. "Now realize that they are burning and they are poisoning the lands on which they are seated."

"We might as well as bring you up to speed on the situation at hand." Clarke spoke as she moved up help Ontari up. The Crutches Ontari was using looked more to keep her standing and stable than as a cane. With that the crowd moved out of the way to allow Ontari and Clarke to pass. These women were both wolves and they could be quite dangerous, but given that Ontari was a wolf that had been beaten into submission by his mother, Clarke seemed to be doing her best in easing and healing the wounds done the young Nightblood.

As Ontari walked down the halls to the War Room she started to sense the direness of the situation at hand.

"So where is my Flamekeeper?" Ontari spoke.

"On a mission to Alie's mansion with several warriors to find out what else she left behind as little surprises for us." Clarke spoke as they made a turn to where the offices were.

"Heda, King Roan. Ambassador." A member of the court guard spoke as they passed into the doorway of the small room.

Ontari looked around the room, she seemed to be not so much impressed by its décor, but considering that she was looking at all of the maps on the walls and tables spoke to the situation. This was a War Room. Along one wall there was a map of the entire continent that had been marked on and highlighted of the various borders of the various nations. She moved to look at the reports that had been pinned up next to the maps. Ontari seemed to be concerned as she started to look over them.

Poisoned crops, sickly animals, people dying and large sections of the map showing where these occurrences were taking place. The sections that covered Ice Nation territory made her worry. Then she saw the picture of a burning building.

"What is this?" Ontari tapped on the glass of the picture.

"The image of one of our foes." Roan spoke as he moved over to Ontari's side.

"This is a picture of one of the buildings you told me of?" Ontari looked at the crude image before her. "The ink to this thing looks like a child drew it."

"That isn't ink Ontari." Clarke spoke to the young Heda. "It is blood... Nightblood blood." This now got Ontari's full attention. "The young boy who drew that image died from the fumes and used his own blood to warn others not to approach."

"It is because of his actions we were able to save several villages of people in the path of that smoke." Roan spoke.

"How bad..." Ontari seemed to realize that while she had been hurt, much evil had taken place and had been fought in her absence. With a deep sigh Clarke and him decided to tell her everything they knew.

"It's bad. This is not a foe we can defeat; this is more of a great storm that is coming." Roan spoke as he pointed to the map.

Roan covered the parts of the damage to the lands that the toxic clouds had done so far. Clarke covered the levels of sickness that had taken many lives.

Some of the pictures that had been sent by messenger of those who had fallen to these clouds had made Ontari wretch her stomach. The images of the Nightblood that had died, had been the worse.

It didn't matter if it showed weakness, Ontari was only comforted by the presence of mind that she hadn't been the only one who had seen the contents spewed across the floor. A nearby mop and bucket say ready to clean up the mess before her. Given it was there and had been used often spoke that some of the few images she had seen, hadn't been the worse presented to those who had been within these walls.

Ontari sat down as she was slowly placed into a chair. A stern drink of wine helped calm the girl's nerves but it took a while after the level of awe and horror of the facts to set in.

Clarke was doing her best to not be aggressive, but given the crisis at hand Wanheda was leaning upon her trained skills of a healer and not as a warrior to guide Ontari through her shock.

"Ontari… We don't need your skills as a Heda. We need you because of your skills in the Azadea court that you heard while being by Nia's side." Clarke spoke looking at Ontari as someone who had now seen the horror of the crisis before them. "You heard things and saw things around you. Things that might help save your people." Clarke knelt before Ontari. "I was trained as a healer. There is a sickness spreading before this land with these storm clouds. The best we can do is slow it down until it burns itself out or weather the storm in the places where it might be the worst. Once that takes place and the crisis passes the healing can begin."

"So… All of those points on the map are places where this toxic smoke is covering the lands." Ontari started to realize that Clarke was doing her best to save the people including those of Azeda with all of her skill. The scale of the problem was now coming forth.

"It is…" Clarke looked at Ontari. "We have been gathering all of the facts that are available so that we can save as many as we can. Alliances have been made. Some blood fudes have ended because of this." This is when Clarke spoke. "Blood must now save Blood. Like Pramheda before you who came back to the ground to save those that the flames tried to destroy. You have the chance to walk in her steps to make this world someplace she would have been proud of."

"Ontari, you can make the decision to continue Nia's view of the world, or claim your birthright and be someone whose name stands for something more than blood and death." This hit a cord in Ontari. Ontari had been trained for battle. This battle needed to be fought to save those yet to be born.

"What do you need me to tell you?" Ontari spoke a little scared.

"Are there stories or reports of any places that survived the Great Burning within the Ice Nation?" Ontari paused as she closed her eyes and started to think hard.

"There was a large dam, forged in the ages before the great burn. It was said to have survived the great fires. Nia forbade me to speak of it. I do not know why. But it was said to have great power or strength to it."

"I have heard of this place, The Moses. A proud people live there. If it survived the flames, then it might be a place where we can move the Ice Nation displaced so that they might be safe against the oncoming storm." Roan spoke as he moved over to look at the map. "I will see what scouts can find out about this place."

"Do so Roan." Clarke spoke. "I will continue to work with the rest of the ambassadors and Ontari here to see if we can find other places that survived the Great Burn as well so we can start evacuating people to them." Ontari realized that in her way she had helped to save some of her people. This wasn't a battle that could be won with one's fists or a blade. This was a battle that one had to fight using their head and using it to head butt their opponent wasn't going to work. If Wanheda was going to teach this young girl to be a leader, then she was off to a good start.

* * *

 

Jasper walked over to Ontari and sat down next to her as she sat at one of the dining tables. She looked a little ragged. Murphy and Raven had taken several warriors and Arkers to search through the equipment and computers of the old mansion that Alie had used as her base of operations prior to Jaha freeing her. Ontari… If Lexa wanted this girl to be a member of the Hundred, then she was getting the Wilderness Skills crash course the hard way.

Ontari looked over and tried to glare. She looked drained from verbally fighting. This was a girl who was used to fighting foes with her fists. But how do you fight a force of nature that is coming to destroy you? She looked like she needed a break from the battle, even for a little while.

"So... You and Murphy and that other girl Emori?" Jasper spoke to her. Ontari changed her stance, when she realized the line of questioning that was heading her way. Jasper wasn't there to fight her; he was just there to listen.

"Emori?" Ontari looked at him realizing that he wasn't there to start a fight with her.

"Mutant girl, weird hand, tattoo across her." Ontari raised her hand when she made the connection to who Jasper was talking about.

"Yeah her…" Ontari seemed to be a bit worried. Maybe because he was talking about her relationship with her  _Flamekeeper_. Grounder politics, Jasper got the feeling wasn't always fighting, they had codes they followed for themselves and seeing some of it in action here had given some insight to the Arkers of the Crap Clarke and Kane had dealt with. Whatever Murphy had done to get that spot seemed to almost made him more of a less of a jerk than he had been before. This role of Flamekeeper seemed to fit him well. Clarke wasn't yelling at him anymore.

"So... You said that you had sex with Murphy, so..." Jasper was using his best tact in trying to say. "are you into girls too or is it like... you go then she..." Jasper knew of version of Ontari from the City of light, but this version seemed to also know of their relationship... as friends.

"We shared Murphy... Not at the same time." Ontari opened up. Realizing that she was unsure how to proceed. "Though we did watch the other perform." Ontari did her best to come to terms with what had happened to her. Though sex being seen as a theatre event was something that caught Jasper's attention.

"So you haven't told the others about the friends you made in the City of Light?" Jasper spoke. "About us being friends?" Ontari seemed to calm down and worry.

"I didn't know you were Skaikru..." Ontari spoke.

"Nor I knew that you were Ice Nation." Jasper responded.

The pause lasted a while.

"This is strange... two people who find a truthful relationship in a city of lies, turn out to be from people who are blood enemies." Ontari spoke.

"So... We have gone Romeo and Juliet territory." Jasper spoke remembering his literature history.

"Romeo and Juliet?" Ontari spoke as this line of inquiry seemed to open her up.

"Two lovers from some ancient play. They were from rival clans."

"Like Skaikru and Azgeda." Jasper nodded.

"Yeah..." Ontari seemed to let her guard down "They fell in love, Romeo the boy courted the girl by speaking to her under her balcony, they planned to run off. The girl got caught, the boy planned to fake their deaths, so he takes a sleeping potion, drinks too much, she thinks he killed himself so she takes a dagger to kill herself, then when the boy wakes up, take the same dagger and kills himself with it because he lost her again."

"I don't know to be love struck or sad at this story." Ontari sighed.

"This side of you is more approachable." Ontari did her wolf head tilt thing that showed that she was liking you.

"I want respect." Ontari spoke as she started to realize that Jasper knew her only as Ontari, and not the Ontari of the Ice Nation.

"Respect is earned. You want it given to you, but that is not how it works." Ontari looked at Jasper.

"And your respect?"

"You already have, and you are my friend." This is when a girl with long brown hair and a very petite frame came walking over to the table.

"Hey Jasper." the girl spoke, Jasper had to turn around to see fully who it was.

"Karina?" Jasper called out to see the full wide grin on this girl's face.

"Yeah it is me... me and Survey team three just got back from doing that salvage run to what was left of one of the old Ark sections that went down in the Lake People's territory."

"How are you alive?" Jasper called out embracing his friend fearing that she had been carved up by the Grounders.

"Well for the past three months we have been pulling out stuff from where our station went down." Jasper stopped her.

"I mean how are you alive, I mean since things went crazy during the past election. The entire death order of any Arker caught off of our land when Pike went crazy?" This started to hit home.

"What do you mean Death Order?" Karina spoke worried.

"She doesn't know?" Ontari spoke up.

"And what is up with the Ice Nation girl?" Karina spoke looking at Ontari. This is when Jasper decided to bring Karina up to speed. The entire thing with Garden Station coming down in Ice Nation territory, them fighting for their lives. Pike losing his people from Garden Station due to an Ice Nation Bombing against the Arkers and Trikru. Pike getting elected as Chancellor, Him slaughtering three hundred Trikru solders sent to protect the Arkers, now called Skaikru from future attacks from any repercussion from the Ice Nation. Pike's attempted land grab land from a Trikru village. Throw in the entire Jaha City of Light Cult and its el nutso A.I. leader invading Arkada and Polis... Well the look on Karina's face spoke volumes.

"What other craziness took place?" Karina spoke as she laid down a mask she had been carrying. Now Ontari was slowly working at getting up.

"I am a member of the Warriors of the Hundred as ordered by Heda Leska and Wanheda Klark."

"Wanheda?" Karina spoke looking at Ontari.

"Clarke's new name slash title given to her via the Grounders." Jasper added.

"Lexa asked you join the Hundred?" Karina spoke to Ontari. The Arker acknowledging Ontari's status among the Delinquent's community.

"Not so much ask as in ordered me to become part of. I am a member of the Nalblada, but since Queen Nia denied me the right of joining the other Nalblada, Nightbleeders in their training when I was younger. Leska considered that I should be trained by the Warriors of the Hundred so that I would have the leadership and combat skills to perform the conclave and become the next Heda of the Coalition. I was to be given the position that was to be that of an ambassador to..." Ontari seemed to be conflicted on how to proceed as she shifted around. Jasper hoped she wouldn't go for her knife again when she became flustered. This is when Kane started to come by.

"It's alright Boudicca..." Jasper spoke as Kane turned to look at her.

"Boudicca?" Kane spoke as he turned to look at Ontari.

"Boudicca... it's alright... you were meant to be ambassador between us and the rest of the Grounder Community. Were there any other concessions that had to be made that you feel uncomfortable speaking about?" Karina spoke as Kane took a hard look at her.

"So... you are taking up the role Lexa did when she decided to learn about us after our first few disastrous encounters with each other? To see who we truly are without the effects of any miscreants who could have caused trouble for the rest of the peoples around us?" Kane seemed to be saying something in code to her, but Ontari nodded.

"To learn who you are." This is when she responded. "Can I speak to you about that? There are things I cannot because of my oath to Lexa." Kane nodded. What oath to Lexa... Lexa was dead... unless it had to do with that damn chip in her head and Lexa's memories rattling around her damaged brain tissue?

"What do you want to know?" Kane responded.

"Lexa's... Lexa... told me about the knife incident with you and Jaha." Ontari seemed to almost be fighting something. Ontari shook her head heard as she looked to Jasper as she was fighting for control. After a wince Ontari seemed to have regained control over her mind as Lexa seemed to settled into being a suggestive voice in the back of her mind.

"Is the chip chewing into you?" Jasper moved to touch her on the shoulder.

"The flame of the Commanders is..." Ontari was doing her best to search for the words.

"Flooding you with the information from Lexa's memories about the information she gathered." Ontari nodded to Jasper's response.

"Chip?" Karina spoke up worried.

"Lexa, Ontari, Luna, Boudicca and the rest of the Nightbloods are cyberized networked humans. Commander Lexa's one of them and Boudicca here is have a little argument with Lexa over what to do next." Jasper withheld some information to protect Ontari's sense of self.

"Wait, you mean she is accessing..." Karina started to realize what Ontari was.

"Lexa's database on Skaikru. Us..." Kane stated as he reached out and placed a hand on Ontari's shoulder.

"You are a noble person." Ontari spoke looking at Kane this is when she moved towards Karina. "Don't know you yet." This is when something caught Ontari's eye in a pile of salvage that had been brought in by Karina's group. Moving through the items she found a mask with a red face shield on it with a series of vent pumps on it that looked to some like bird wings.

"Bound's mask. Found it in the ruins of one of our station sections." Karina spoke as she came over to Ontari.

"Is this one of your war masks?" Ontari spoke starting to realize that she was attempting to figure out the Arker's culture.

"Not really. the helmet is used as part of our celebrations, mostly during our Unity Day festival. But it is a functional respirator helmet." Karina spoke as she reached for the helmet.

Jasper started to recognized the mask. The clear Reddish gold face shield that went to the rest of this costume/Mit-body formed spacesuit had been pulled out during most of the celebrations on the Ark. The petite girls who wore that costume had been trained in zero-g acrobatics and traditional acrobatics. But you had to be limber as hell to do some of the moves in that damn suit. Jasper had dreams of talking to the girl during the last festival and seeing how much clothing she was wearing underneath it. Mostly Bound had been sort of a figure that had cheered children up when she appeared during the festivals with her dancing and playing with the children. Mostly for Jasper the girl who had been her at the last festival had a seriously cute ass on her.

Seeing Ontari study and look at the mask and hear some of the tales. The Ice Nation girl seemed to be having some of the worry taken away.

"Could you please don the mask?" Ontari spoke handing the mask to Karina.

"Sure." Karina spoke as she took the mask the flipped the hatches on it and slipped it over her head. Ontari just watched as Karina went through the procedures to get it secured to her head.

"I cannot see your face?" Ontari spoke as she looked at the mask.

"It is a little hard to speak in this, but..." This is when Karina moved to one of the Gunners who had been watching the scene unfold and asked for the radio. Taking the radio and setting its channel to that of the mask she moved and handed the radio to Jasper.

"Jasper can you hear me?" Karina's voice came through the radio.

"Yeah I can hear you." Jasper spoke as Ontari realized that the Mask had a radio in it.

"It has one of your communication devices in it." Ontari moved to touch the side of the mask.

"It does. The suit that goes with this helmet was designed for different atmosphere work and prelaunch and decent proposes." Karina's voice came through the radio. "Most of the ornamental stuff such as the wings were added later as part of our festivals."

"The wings on the helmet are covering up other things, such as your ra-dio?" Ontari spoke as Karina nodded.

"So tell me about some of your masks and traditions? I mean could you tell me about your scars. I like the pattern on the right side of your face. They look very artistic, but the other two... The hook and the one that looks like a flame seem more crudely done." Karina saw Ontari reach up to her face and touch the markings. Jasper got the feeling that Ontari may have made a friend today that wasn't from the City of Light.

* * *

 

Roan watched from a distance as Ontari who under the guise of the name of Boudicca seemed to have befriended two members of Skaikru. Word had slowly gotten around that Ontari and the rest of the Nalblada had been made members of Wanheda's sect of warriors called the Hundred. But seeing the girl in the strange red faced mask talk to her, Ontari started to act more like the young woman that he had known in his youth prior to his exile. This was the girl whom he felt that he had to undo most of the damage done to by his mother. Ontari wasn't some trophy that needed to be displayed. This was a girl who had dreams of having a family. She didn't want to ever to be known as a Nalblada, she just wanted to return to her village and live her life in peace.

Roan had seen Ontari in his youth sticking a pillow under her nightgown when his mother had allowed her to start wearing clothes without her running off. She had dreams of having a rounded belly full of child and a proud man who made her happy. Made love to her when she was in the mood. Dreams of a young woman who just wanted to escape from the destiny that had been now thrown at her. But here among the Hundred, Ontari seemed to have regained some of her old self.

Given the events of what was happening, making Ontari disappear and letting another Nalblada take her place could be possible. The flame could be passed to another. Wanheda had learned the secrets of the Flame and could pass them on to the next Heda. The passing of the Flame could be done without all of the violence that his mother Nia had lusted for.

The length of the reign could be dictated by new terms. Years or a period of succession could be set up so that the Heda could pass their throne to a new leader when necessary.

Something in his mother's case would have been handy so that the Ice Nation wouldn't have to be fighting tooth and nail to secure protection of its citizens who had been driven from their lands by this monster/storm/plague of death that was now ravaging the lands.

Then Roan heard something that he hadn't heard in a long time.

Ontari laughing.

Not an evil laugh...

But a happy joyful laugh with no ill intent.

"Let me hear this straight... you and Jasper met over drinks, and he was attracted the markings on your face." This is when Ontari started to blush.

Maybe these events were a blessing in disguise. A chance to start anew. Maybe for them all.

Pramheda Bekka was definitely looking out for them.


	5. Grounder Friend?

Ontari walked down the hallways of Arkaida. Ontari knew that her body would need work to get her back to peak fighting form, but these injuries had been a blessing in disguise. Ontari had always been a physical combat creature. Nia had taught her as such. But now... She had to learn to use words instead of a blade in her battles. Something that Murphy had tried his best to teach her. False Flamekeeper or not, Murphy was right Nia hadn't trained her for daily politics. Ontari was just a puppet to her. Now without a puppet master Ontari now had to work to stand on her own. Her current condition reflected as much.

Ontari reflected upon the past day as she made her way to Jasper's room. Jasper had offered to take her in after she had "checked out" of the infirmary. Jasper only knew the version of her from the City of Light, but something in her felt that she needed to be near him. On the other side of things of her being a recent member of the Hundred was how the rest of Skaikru treated her. Some were afraid of her, others... just let her be.

Another  _Lincoln_... some had called her.

Ontari didn't know what the term  _Lincoln_  meant, but it sounded important.

One in another list of inquiries that she needed to make on her quest.

As Ontari felt her body move under the crutches she had, she needed to get her body stronger.

Karina had been interesting. Even under her guise of Boudicca she had learned much. Skaikru were still her foe... but... The Hundred weren't. They had been banished from Skaikru for various reasons because of minor crimes that they had committed on the Ark. Some of the crimes were not even worthy of a death sentence by Ice Nation standards, even Queen Nia's standards were more lenient than Skaikru's had been when the Hundred had been selected. Karina had been interested in getting to know her when Ontari had started to ask about the mask and likewise her about the scars.

The questioning about the scars had lead Ontari to learn that Karina had been trained as a dancer. Now artistically Ontari wasn't interested in seeing Karina dance, but the exercises they used to tone and train their bodies would be something that Ontari needed to get her body working the way she wanted it again. The trading of knowledge of the blade had been the price of getting what she needed, then it was so. Ontari wanted to move with her sword in her hands. Feel that connection with the steel. To calm her mind. She needed to move.

Fuck...

Fucking would even feel good now. But she needed to find a man to shove his body part into her.

Even riding on a horse would bring her peace. The same action, but she would at least be mobile.

If she found the stall in which Skaikru kept their rides, she would do her best to mount one and just ride to clear her mind.

Ontari had always been jittery when she had nothing to do.

Even playing with the knife she had only did so much.

This foe was one that made you wait. She hated to wait. She just wanted a foe to attack, to swing at her.

Do something.

Not take six moons to kill you in ways that she didn't want to even understand.

One very dead Nightblood whose flesh had been melted off like... like goat butter.

She needed to do something other than go to a room and sleep.

Given the activity of Arkada and people moving around, she decided to people watch.

Ontari watched as several Hundred walked by her and the only reason that she knew they were that was because she had remembered as much from the City of Light.

"Hi Boudicca." they spoke. They didn't see her as a threat, or at least a threat to themselves. This Boudicca guise seemed to be working for her as it gave her a chance to start to understand why Lexa would want to join this group of warriors.

" _Hei lukot_." Ontari spoke with a grin. She didn't mean it, but she had to work on her social skills. If nothing else to prove to Murphy that she could adapt to not using violence to solve her problems. Ontari breathed in slowly. Learn first... Kill later. "How is the rest of the  _honet_ performing of your  _kru_." Ontari decided to see if these warriors could pick out a few words of her native dialect.

" _Decent_." One of them spoke as he responded in her native dialect. " _Heard that you open up more in Trigedasleng than in our language_." This caught Ontari off guard a little.

"How do you know my dialect?" Ontari spoke reverting back to Gonasleng. This was one of the few groups of individuals in which she had done this test with to see what the general knowledge of Skaikru was. Some had passed like these two, but others... Well, slitting their throats would be fun.

"You are not the only one who isn't from the Ark that has joined the Hundred." The member of the Hundred spoke towards her. Ontari started to feel that this had to do with being called a  _Lincoln_.

"I am glad to be called a  _Lincoln_  among your Kru." This brought a sense of discomfort towards the pair. "Did I say the term wrong?"

"No... Just that Lincoln was a friend." The other Hundred spoke. Lincoln wasn't a title... it was the name of someone.

"Tell me of this Lincoln." Ontari spoke as she started to listen. If the name was a reference to a person, they must have been someone of great honor or dishonor. What she learned next had more to do with the Skaikru's view of all Kru than anything else.

Lincoln had been this banished member of Trikru that had been living near the site where the Hundred and come down. He had over several days had started to study them and their manners. This is when he came across an injured Oktavia of the Hundred after she had fallen. He had treated her wounds, but also he had taken her prisoner. When she had escape from him on two occasions she had been found by the rest of the Hundred who had captured him. During this time Oktavia learned that he was a healer and a warrior. Something that would come in handy later as he helped treat those who had been infected with Anya's plague as well start to forge the first few tentative steps towards Leska making Skaikru the Thirteenth Tribe. Lincoln had been seen as a foe, but seeing that his actions in saving their lives had meant much, they had let him go even if the rest of their Skaikru group wanted to kill him.

During the War with the Mont-kru he proved himself to be a true ally and friend as they made him a member of their rank. He to them was Lincoln of the Hundred. Friend, Warrior, Healer. When Skaikru didn't trust him, the Hundred did. They stood up for him as he was a brother in arms to them, and the future husband to one.

What followed afterwards started to tear at Ontari as it made her think of her situation and the events that took place prior and after she had been assaulted by Jaha and Alie.

Pike after he had taken power and massacred the army that Leska had sent to protect Skaikru, proceeded to lock up the "Grounders" who had come to Skaikru for treating their sick. In addition Pike moved to attack a nearby village to steal farm land. The attack on the village she had known about, but the sick being locked up she hadn't known about. These members of Skaikru before her had been able to smuggle medicine and food to those Pike had locked up so that Lincoln could treat them. When Kane had staged his escape after Pike had locked him up with the other insurrectionists, these very "Grounders" of Trikru had come to his aid in acting as a distraction keeping the guards occupied. Something they later repaid when Kane had been captured and brought to Polis. But the price paid was great because Lincoln to ensure the release of his fellow Trikru was that he had been tried for treason and was executed. The most horrific thing was that his love Oktaiva had seen him killed by Pike himself and Lincoln's body was left to rot in a puddle of mud. His love Oktavia of Skaikru ne of the Hundred had sworn vengeance on Pike for his actions. When the opportunity presented itself in Polis in Ontari's Throne Room after the defeat of Alie, Oktavia ran her sword through Pike's body avenging her love.

A man who had been banished and considered and outcast by his own kru, had found a place among these people... even love. And these warriors... as few as they were looked out and watched for each other. Ontari felt that she needed to now wear Ice Nation war paint. Not to attack, but to be seen as one of these warrior rank.

Lexa had wanted a Nightblood such as herself to be called sister among these warriors. There were some chatter among some of the Krus here of warriors joining the rank of the Hundred. Did Lexa sense some new evil such as the one they were fighting now prior to her death that she wanted a group of warriors to stand against it? These were many of the thoughts racing through her mind before she decided to speak again.

" _Honet-kru_." Ontari spoke to the two warriors before her. "I would like to know where I can find a Mortar and Pestle for herb grinding." This reaction brought a few nods from the two.

"Why would you need those for?"

"First I need them so that I can grind up the herbs and shells to make the woad for my war paint and to make the ash base for a drink I like." Ontari was being truthful about both. With a snap one of the Honet-kru snapped their fingers when they remembered who had one.

"I think Monty has one. He got it through a trade with one of the local trading posts for supplies a while back. You might ask to borrow his." Ontari nodded. Maybe she would learn more about the rest of this group through their past interactions with the other Tribes.

"Thank you." Ontari spoke as she started to head off after she asked to find out where this Monty was.

* * *

 

Monty Green was doing his best to sort through the philo-medicinal that he had been able to harvest and process alongside Clarke. Clarke had built up a considerable lists of drugs that the Grounders had used to treat various individuals. It was amazing what she had learned while she had stayed in Polis. Knowledge of the seaweed based antibiotics combined with the entire herbs and potions that could be made would make Abby and the other medical staff happy. Now as he grinded away with the pestle in his hand to turn the leaves in the mortar into the juice Abby needed to treat some of the more complex wounds before her. Clarke was handing on grinding up some dried animal flesh that she had found worked well in repairing stab and slice wounds. Some of this would be used to treat Jasper's leg along with Nathan and Bryan's injuries. Looking up Monty saw Ontari coming towards them. The young woman seemed to have gotten used to moving around on her crutches considering how long she had been off of her feet.

"Wanheda... Do you know where I can find Monty of the Hundred?" Ontari spoke seeing Clarke work.

"Yeah... Monty is here with me." Clarke said as she pointed towards him. This is when Ontari started to realize that she had found the person she had been looking for.

"Hi." Monty spoke to the Ice Nation girl. Now the response from her was strange as she watched as he worked on the mashing process.

"Are you an apothecary?" Ontari watched as he did his duties. After a while of watching him handle the various herbs that would be needed for one patient, he placed it into a waterproof pouch with a name of its patient on it before he cleaned the mortar and loaded it up with another batch of materials needed. This is when Ontari started to speak to Clarke in her native Grounder dialect. Clarke responded to her answers, always letting the girl steer the discussion along. After several minutes Monty started to catch a few of the native words of Grounder that he had picked up from listening to Lincoln and Octavia talk and started to follow some of the conversation. Most of the references had to do with the Hundred's arrival in the middle of Trikru territory but as the conversation moved along Monty started to get the feeling that Ontari wasn't there to ask about girl stuff. Most of the conversation started to surround the Mountain, or more precisely Mount Weather.

As the conversation moved along an occasional name was dropped, but as she started to look at him, Ontari started to bite her lip. Like whatever she had thought about the Arkers before was now starting to shift. Monty didn't know what to make of this young woman other than the fact that Murphy had been protective of her and Roan seemed to care about her deeply The Ice Beast, or the Ice Bitch as some of the Arkers had started to call her seemed to be more of a scared girl than a ruler of nations. With a few tentative steps Ontari approached his side of the table.

"Monty kon Skaikru." Ontari nodded in his direction. "You are Jasper's friend." There was some nervousness to her. She looked uncomfortable, but as she cast her eyes down for a moment she started to build up some courage to speak what she had on her mind. "Tell me of the Jasper before the Mountain." There was a little nervousness to her. "Jasper and I were close in the City of Light."

Oh crap. This was the reason that Jasper almost swallowed a bullet. Then something caught this attention as Ontari nervously pulled her hair behind her right ear.

" _We all have our scars to bare_." Monty had said to Jasper as he had to talk his friend from shooting himself.

" _Scars... SCARS!_ " It was as if something had snapped him back to reality when the word racked into his mind. Then Jasper had stared to drawing these pictures. The images didn't make sense till now.

The markings.

The scar marking on Ontari's face was what Jasper had been drawing over and over again like he had been possessed.

Monty moved to pull out a drawing that he had been carrying in his pocket. Unfolding the sheet of paper and looked at the markings that Jasper had scrawled on the few sheets of paper he had been able to get his hands on. The series of triangular markings that existed next to a lightning bolt on the long drawn oval wasn't a symbol, it was a face.

This girl's face.

Other than the hook on the left cheek and the diamond shaped flame mark on the forehead, the images matched up.

Ontari moved to look at the drawing.

"You're her." Monty said as he as he looked at her and back down at the drawing.

Ontari reached out to touch the picture. Whatever secrets she and Jasper shared must have been very deep and personal. Monty hadn't seen his friend like his since he had become smitten with Maya.

"How long?" The Ice Nation girl spoke before she turned towards Monty.

"He... Jasper started to draw these the day that Alie was defeated." This his Ontari hard.

"He... Saw me as... me..." Ontari was being a little scared. "Not Heda... Not Nalblada... Not servant... Me." Monty grinned.

"It has been a long time since I have seen my friend grin or be happy." Monty spoke to Ontari.

"It can't work... it is forbidden..." Ontari started to pull away. Clarke moved to stop her.

"Because of the Flamekeeper traditions and rules." Clarke spoke to Ontari. Then Clarke patted around Ontari to pull out a book. The same book that belonged to Bekka when Clarke held it up. "The book says nothing about you being alone." Clarke seemed to confront Ontari on an issue. "Why do you think I gave it to you? There were many things that were designed to keep the Nalblada weak. You want to be strong. Tell Bekka's story. Her own words. Make the Nightbloods something that she would be proud of. She made those like you, she forged your kind with her knowledge and ours to be something that could survive in the blackness of space." This is when Clarke opened the book and flipped to a few pages and read aloud. "These creations I have made, though meant for Luna Station and Watney Base hopefully can save the home of their ancestors. I want them to spread and grow. To forge back their home so that they may one day reclaim the destiny among the worlds in the sky."

"I... The Nalblada were supposed to rule Skaikru?" Ontari felt concerned as she moved and reread the passage Clarke had read out to her.

"No... Ontari... You're family. We only lived in the Sky, we worshiped the Earth and Trees. The Moon and Mars were supposed to be your home."

"My home is the Moon?" Ontari was trying to process this.

"Seek higher things." Clarke spoke. Ontari started to realize why her kind had been created.

"The highest land is the Moon." Ontari looked at Clarke.

"As tough as Bekka made you and the rest of the Nightbloods, I am surprised that you didn't sense the other things different about you?"

"Like what?" Ontari started to feel that something more had been denied her.

"Read Bekka's journal and the next time you meditate go and ask her." Clarke spoke.

"I speak to her and the others." Ontari spoke.

"On their terms. Not yours." Clarke spoke.

"I don't know how to do it?" Ontari spoke.

"I'll teach you what I know and what I picked up hanging around Lexa." Ontari moved back some.

"You would not deny me this?" Ontari seemed to be feeling out the situation. Hopefully this would not include the use of another knife attack incident like he had heard about today.

"You have had so much taken from you and the other Nightbloods. I think it is time that you finally take some of it back." This is when Clarke added. "The Commander's Flame was supposed to be passed to the next Nightblood via a council of your peers, not by combat. Murphy figured that part out through his research. Titus beat the crap out of him for learning that." Ontari seemed to scared.

"This is why Lexa was so upset when I stated what I did to claim the role of Heda." Ontari started to feel the weight of the world on her shoulders.

"When you are ready, gather the Nightbloods so I can teach you the procedure to transfer the Flame from one Heda to the next without dying." With this Clarke handed Ontari the skull printed tin she had been carrying with her.

"What about the position of Flamekeeper?" Ontari felt concerned about the change this would bring to Grounder society.

"That might change. It might even go to a Nightblood in the future who has chosen to say "No" to carrying it or to someone who had carried it and wants to pass it on." Clarke's words started to ring in Ontari's mind as Monty started to realize that the succession of Commanders might be less bloody as had it been in the past.

"I would love to have a husband and babies someday." Ontari spoke before she looked at Clarke and Monty in horror.

"Jasper as a father..." This brought about a deep sigh from Monty. "...May the Earth Mother and the Spirit of the Last Tree watch over us for the wake of the potential destruction of the offspring from these two?"

"So... you know that Jasper was the general of Alie's army." Ontari added.

"I did." Clarke spoke as Monty did a double take.

"What... General... Army... Alie..." Monty stammered out between the two young women as he realized how little he knew of his friend Jasper and what may have played out in the City of Light.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hei lukot – Hello friend.  
> Honet – Hundred  
> Honet Kru – Hundred People  
> Mont-Kru – Mountain People – The Mountain Men  
> Woad - glastum as the common name, is a flowering plant in the family Brassicaceae. It is commonly called dyer's woad. It is occasionally known as Asp of Jerusalem. Woad is also the name of a blue dye produced from the leaves of the plant. Found throughout Western North America, Central and Southern Europe. Used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, woad is now being studied for use in the treatment of cancer. There has also been some revival of the use of woad for craft purposes. Also used by ancient peoples as ink for ritual scarification and tattoo rites. Courteously of Wikipedia.


	6. Reflection

Jasper was confused. Not about his feelings or his life. Actually it was about Ontari. Her long dark brown hair, her brown-green eyes. Crap. He had a type. All of them like Octavia to some degree or another.

Maya

Shay

Now Ontari.

Octavia had found Lincoln, but had lost him to Pike actions.

Maya, she died in his arms.

Shay died of her injuries as he tried to save her and her people.

Now Ontari was so different than her City of Light self. Maybe she was coming to terms. Nearly dying. Head trauma. Cybernetic neural implant pumping backup memories of herself back. That didn't count the crap of her now remembering the abuse at Queen Nia's hands.

Jasper didn't want to know what Hell Queen Nia did to Ontari that made her into a fight or flight creature. But when the wounded animal was calm a bit of the Ontari that Jasper had gotten to know returned for moments at a time.

What did she remember of the circumstances of them meeting in that virtual environment?

With that he walked.

There were things that had to be done, but as he started to listen to the people talk he started to hear things.

Not bad things, just that the mess they were all in was just on large problem that just needed to whittle away at until it was fixed, or in this case survived.

Mark Watney Help us now.

This is when Jasper noticed that he was being followed. Jasper stopped for a moment near a corner of one of the hallways to look back. Out of the side of his eye he saw a child following him. The dark hair and the bandage on her head looked to be the same girl that Ontari had spoken to in the infirmary. The girl skirted back when she realized that Jasper had seen her.

"Are you Ontari's cousin?" Jasper spoke. He just waited. Ontari had spoken the girl in Grounder. Maybe the girl didn't know all that much English or Gonasleng as the Grounders had called what he and the rest of the Arkers spoke. This time Jasper tried again. "I know you are there Nightblood. If you wish battle or blood do so now or else speak." Jasper did his best to sound Grounder. This is when the girl slowly came out from around the corner.

"I do not wish battle or blood warrior of Hundred." The girl spoke worried. Jasper sighed.

"Do you have a name?" Jasper spoke with both hands raised.

"Artesia of the Broadleaf." Jasper nodded at the girl.

"Jasper Jordan of Agro Station and the Hundred." The girl jumped back.

Damn... he forgot that they must have heard about the fact that Pike had been from Agro station.

"Sorry... I must have scared you." Jasper spoke.

"No JasperJorden... I have heard of the warriors of the Agro... Many Azgeda warriors fell before them after their mighty village fell from the sky and crashed upon the land." The girl was wrong about a few things, but he didn't want to stop her.

"So... why are you following me... trying spy on me for Ontari?" Jasper grinned.

"Me Spy?" The girl looked worried. Like being put to death worried.

"You know... doing the little sister thing... sneaking around... trying to figure out what her big sister Ontari has been up to." Jasper nodded at her. This wasn't a put you to death type of spying she was doing, this was little sister snooping.

"Little sister... Big sister..." The girl was slowly starting to put the pieces together. Then she got the context. "Oh..." This is when Jasper grinned. "Yongon gada." The girl got the context he was aiming for.

"Yeah... So... you are wondering why Ontari and I have been acting so..." Jasper let the sentence hang so that the girl could finish it on her terms.

"Strange... Yes... Strange... She was angry at you, then embarrassed around you... then... angry, then upset." Artesia spoke looking at Jasper

"We have some history together... In the City of Light." Jasper came clean. "We were close." The girl looked at him perplexed.

"What do you mean close?" Jasper had to reply.

"I mean... we were friends... maybe more. I still see the girl with the scars on of her face who loved reading about ancient rulers and governments." Jasper just let it out. "I am a chemist... I brew things together to new compounds and materials to work with. Not a leader. But I was one..." Jasper got distant. "In Mount Weather." This brought concern from the girl.

"You were a leader! Were you a Commander?" The girl started to inch towards him slowly.

"I didn't have the rank... I just lead people. Did what I thought was right. People died."

"Many Maunon died under the wrath of Wanheda. Were you her Second?" Jasper didn't know how to respond.

"I don't know... Clarke was my friend. She was a healer..." There was a long pause from Jasper.

"Did the Maunon take someone from you?" Artesia spoke. Jasper bit his lip.

Maya...

Maya's dark skin. Brown eyes...

Her death...

"The Mountain took Maya. Clarke only pulled the lever to end the mess that ended so many lives." Artesia moved to look at him.

"Was she a member of the Hundred?" Jasper answered.

"Friend of the Hundred. I spilled her ashes at the old Delinquents camp." It just came out.

"She is with your honored dead. She is now part of your Kru now." Jasper hadn't realized that his accidental spillage of Maya's remains might have been an unconscious way for him to lay her to rest among those of his people that had been lost here. She hadn't been buried among the individuals of the Mountain... She had been laid to rest with those who had and would have and had called her friend.

"Thanks Artesia." Jasper spoke as he looked at the young Nightblood as he moved to kneel before her. "So what have you heard about me and the other Delinquents?"

"Wanheda's Hundred." The girl responded. "Lead by the Sky Princess, who landed in the woods of the Trikru. Had fought several hundred warriors using a wall of flame that consumed all who faced her down. Then she was captured by the Maunon and with her skills she escaped to speak before Heda Leska. After many battles to prove her place as an ally, Leska took her as an ally before moving to attack the mountain. With one fail stroke Wanheda brought death to the Mountain and those who had harmed those of Earth, Sky and Seas. Then Wanheda went upon a quest throughout the lands before Heda Leska's ally King Roan found her and brought her to Polis to be Ambassador of Skaikru... The Thirteenth Clan." Jasper sighed.

"You have most of the story right, but the journey took place is much more interesting." Jasper spoke as the young girl started to understand him more and he her.

"How so?" The girl spoke as another child a bit older came around the corner.

"Maybe because like the tales your fellow Nightbloods tell of Bekka your creator, not everything is that cut and dry. It is full of pain, love, loss, and other things that state that these people were much like yourselves, partially making it up as they went with many trials and errors till they got it right." Jasper saw that the strange Flame mark that Ontari had on her forehead was also a symbol shared among the rest of the Nightbloods.

"Tell us of the lore that you know of Pramheda Bekka." A young boy of the group spoke up.

"I am no Flamekeeper, but I will tell you what I know of Rebekka." Jasper spoke as he got the feeling that he was stuck on Nightblood babysitting duty for the time being.

* * *

 

Ontari walked down the hallway to Jasper's room.

There was so much she had learned while working with Wanheda and the one called Monty.

Jasper had been in a dark place of where death had started to court him on nearly a daily basis.

Alie's chips had offered an escape from the pain he had felt at the loss of young woman he had been in love with name Maya Vi. Maya had died in Jasper's arms shortly after Wanheda had flooded the Maunon's layer with radiation killing them. The same type of radiation that was now slowly poisoning the land.

Ontari had to fight back the urge to vomit again.

Jasper had seen the woman he had fallen in love with melt away like warm goat butter on bread in his arms.

Ontari's own experience of being ripped from her mother's arms didn't compare to the image of losing a loved one like that. Then hearing that he had befriended a girl on Luna's rig who had been able to get him to laugh. Her death may have been the breaking point for him to take Alie's chip.

Ontari reached up and touched the left side of her head.

Accessing remote feed system.

Ontari saw a picture floating before her.

Ontari jumped back a little till she realized that the image before her was a virtual display. It took her another moment to realize that she was tapped into the station itself.

As Ontari reached out to touch it a set of controls started to come into place.

Camera feeds. These images were called Camera Feeds. She was looking at camera feeds. The Eyes in many places.

Some of the City of Light's influence had followed her back to this plain of existence. Many of the commands spoke to places on the station.

**Launch Bay.**

**External feed 1**

**External feed 2**

**Cell Block.**

Cell Block - that meant prison... Ontari tapped that.

Ontari saw Jaha sitting in his cell.

The man looked so broken.

But it was the words carved into the floor spoke volumes.

Wells... I'm sorry.

Wells?

Ontari's mind was racing... Who was this Wells?

After a moment she switched the feeds to see where else around the station she could see.

Random Hallway. Boring

Random Hallway. Boring

Random Hallway. More Boring.

Some Training Room. Empty... Not empty. Maybe a chance to see a sparring match. That would be fun. Ontari felt the lust for violence that had been part of her cultural background swell up with glee.

Ontari stopped to see a figure moving in there after a moment she just started watching the shadows dance around.

It was a woman... a very naked woman who came into view of the video feed. But before Ontari could change the feed the woman moved over to a rope hanging in the room and started to climb up it. What took place was... Beautiful.

This person had strength throughout their body. Some of the positions this woman angled her body into were remarkable as she hung with a mixture of upper and lower body strength. The length of time... hanging like a bat, or like a statue was remarkable. Then the woman moved and finished the routine she had been doing before moved to pick up a simple dress and a towel that had been on the floor... A sleep dress. Just like that with the same grace the woman had entered she left the room.

Ontari checked the feed location. Then she looked at the section of where she had been at.

Skaikru had set up their settlement in such a way where each hallway had a number and a Letter. The number meant section, and the letter meant how far one was from the front to the rear of the settlement. One section over and towards the back. Knowing the location Ontari moved as fast as she could on her crutches.

She needed to learn the secret of that strength… that grace.

Ontari pictured herself at her prime of her combat skills. Then obliterated that image picturing herself with that knowledge and technique slaying all foes before her.

Even a fraction of that skill that woman had, if she learned it no one would see her as a weak Heda... No... Weak anything.

She would be strong.

Strong as a Nalblada like herself should have been if Alie or Nia had mucked up her destiny.

Learn first, kill later. Learn first, kill later. Learn first, kill later. Learn first, kill later. Learn first, kill later.

Ontari's heart raced as it pounded so hard inside of her chest that she almost felt the stitches holding her chest together would fall apart.

As Ontari made her way around a corner to the last little distance to the training room she fell.

"No... No... NOOOO!" Ontari vented in her native tongue as she punched the paneling on the floor.

Her body had failed her.

Not weak... Not Weak... Not...

"Boudicca? Crap are you alright?" A female voice called out in deep worry. Ontari moved to look at the figure standing before her and saw... The bare legs and lower hem of the dress of the woman she had been looking for. The woman knelt by her. "Boudicca... are you okay?" The dark brown hair and rounded face looked familiar.

"Teach me. Teach me how I can have that power in my body as you do?" Ontari swallowed. Ontari looked down and swallowed her pride. "I pledge my fealty and my flesh to learning from you."

Pledging her flesh... crap... NO... she needed this knowledge. If this woman had to make love to her body... Then so be it. She needed to be strong.

"You watched me perform?" Ontari nodded with her eyes to the floor. "How?"

"There is a feed from one of the eyes in the room. I watched it." Crap... She needed to tell about her now power, gift from the City of Light.

"There is a camera in there!" There was shock in the woman's voice, as if the practice or the exercise had been private. Had Ontari violated some code of seeing this? This is when Ontari felt a pair of hands move to help her to her knees. "How much did you see of it?" The inquiry was of concern.

"All of it... from where you climbed up the rope to where you picked up your dress." This is when Ontari felt herself move against one of the hallway walls.

"You liked?" There was no hate to the voice. Maybe the person... This dancer or warrior hadn't realized that she had an audience watching. And there Ontari was, out of breath. Sprawled out of the floor like some infatuated stubborn child before her before this woman. Ontari had to nod. "Then look at me." Ontari moved her head to see...

Karina?! And the young woman was grinning.

"That was your dance?" Ontari stammered out.

"Not really..." Karina spoke as she moved to sit down next to the Azgedan girl. "Part of it... mostly I have been using that part of the routine to exercise."

"Would you teach me?" Ontari started to realize that Karina's original agreement to teach her the sword might be an actual benefit to this woman.

"Alright... But remember you are going to be my first student." This brought about a blush too.

"You are going to be mine to when it comes to the blade." Ontari started to realize that as beautiful as she found this exercise, did this woman see how some of her fellow "Grounders" handled a blade the same way. With Beauty, Not strength.

"Understood." After a moment Karina got up and helped Ontari to her feet. "Come... I want to see how well you stand and walk without your crutches." With that Karina helped Ontari to her feet and they started to walk together back to the Training Room.

Entering into the Training Room Ontari started to realize the size of the place. In the center of the Room was a circular training mat, but along the different walls were rectangular mats. Over one of these was Karina's exercise rope. Ontari kept looking around, there were weights lifting equipment. A rack of polls to which some upper and lower body training could take place. Several Benches. Some strange seated pedal apparatus. But what caught her attention and what she hadn't seen in the video feed was the small collection of padded training weapons. To the recent collection appeared to what seemed to be mock swords of differing lengths.

"Boudicca, I need you to take your boots off." Karina spoke as she gestured over to one of the benches.

"Why?" Ontari was curious. But hesitant to comply to such an action.

"Because I need to see how your feet move the ground."

"You want to see how my feet move across the ground?" Ontari looked mocking at her.

"Yes... I want to see how your bare feet move across the ground while you walk. If you go off balance, I want to see how you compensate. Most people don't realize that when they go off balance they curl their toes to maintain traction." This was new. "I mean you have a head injury, but that doesn't matter if you learn how to use the rest of your other senses to balance yourself."

"Why would I do this?" Ontari let the conversation flow.

"Because, I grew up in free-fall. Little or No Gravity. For a dancer, you have to be aware of your body. How it moves. You might not be able to know where things are at when you don't know which way is up. But that doesn't mean you can't train yourself to use that to your advantage." Karina spoke as she moved to sit down next to Ontari.

"Then what does this have to do with my feet?" Ontari was trying her best not to be aggressive.

"Because, as a dancer and a class A scrounge, you learn to use your body and the environment to your advantage." Now this had her attention.

"Alright. I am taking of my boots. But if you steal them I will enjoy bathing in your blood." Ontari spoke as Karina nodded and smiled.

"Well at least I know what to get for you as a gift." Karina spoke as Ontari started to unlace her boots.

* * *

 

Ontari felt sore... But good sore.

Her falling down on the mats in the training room's floor had taught her much.

Falling wasn't failure. It was learning to use that fall to your advantage without getting hurt.

Tucks, dives, rolls, they had worked. But it was the leg exercises that she would now be doing every morning was the thing that had helped.

She looked a little stupid when she had started doing the exercises, but for the first time, she could walk a good distance from one end of a room to another without falling down.

The calves of her legs and the muscles of her lower back where screaming, but... ohhh the power she had reclaiming her body from the damage Jaha and Alie had done to her.

Karina was right. Ontari was used to fighting. Defeat wasn't in her mindset.

That didn't mean that taking a different course of action would also bring about the same result.

Stabbing and killing your foe at times had it advantages.

But a cunning enemy was more feared than one that used brute force against you.

Even enduring levels of torture and suffering at the hands of your enemy was also a mark of victory.

That bit she needed to learn and understand better.

Wanheda wasn't feared because she struck her foes down, She was feared because she endured where others faltered.

This is when Leska started to walk with her in her Peasant girl disguise.

"It is good that you are learning Ontari." Leska spoke as Ontari moved to crack her neck. The popping of bones in her neck felt great. Not riding a man's manhood to blissful pleasure good, but riding a horse to nowhere in particular good.

"Skaikru has some advantages... for now." Ontari spoke as she walked to Jasper's room.

"They do..." Leska spoke as she traced her fingers across the walls of Arkada.

"The knowledge that Karina kon Skaikru mentioned about Jaha was..." Ontari stopped to work out the right word.

"Interesting. Yes, Ontari... Jaha had a son who died. This fact wasn't available to me till you were able to seek it out." Leska spoke as she started to study the graffiti on the wall. Some of it had been done by children while others had been done by adults. But the ones that children had done told the truth of the actual mood around here.

"Wells. The Sky Prince died at the hands of a member of the Hundred." Ontari spoke as she too started to trace the art. Ontari grinned when she saw the drawing of the "Grounder" war masks. Trikru and Ice Nation.

"Jaha's actions with his people as being their Judge of their laws was not without purpose. Though he didn't know that his son would become the target of one so young to avenge the death of her parents."

"Blood must have blood. Though you are right... Sharlot kon Skaikru's actions may spell the end of us all. For one so damaged and torn from her parents as she was, I can empathize. I did not slay Roan because I could not get to his mother. Though you did." Ontari found a colored wax drawing implement and moved to sit down to add to this art.

"Nia had done many wrongs to many people. I just happened to had the opportunity to bring an end to her reign." This is when Leska knelt down next to Ontari and started to study the images that were being drawn. It was a girl in a black dress with Ontari's marks on the side standing next to a Skaikru boy... Jasper. "It is good that you are seeking out love." Ontari stopped.

"I do not know what we have." Ontari felt weak. But Jasper... What was he to her? Weak... Strong... Safe?

"Love is not a weakness. I learned that the hard way. There will always be those who wish to use that against you. Make you cold... distant from your people. From those who care about you." Leska knelt down by Onatri.

"Klark is right... The Nightbloods need to change. I want to marry... carry a child from within my belly. To tell them stories of how we were blood forged to live on distant lands far from Mother Earth." With that Ontari started to draw again. This time with purpose.

Ontari started to draw images of children from various Kru... It didn't matter what they looked like, but a will started to move through her fingers.

The images started to become more and more detailed.

Ontari started to draw images of boys and girls with varying facial and Kru features, but occasionally mixing the two together.

A Skikru girl with Ice Nation Scars.

A Trikru boy with Flukru tattoos.

Delphi with Plains Riders.

Ontari kept at this till she had twenty-six children drawn.

Varying Kru and Markings.

Then Ontari moved to place a mark over them.

The symbol of the Heda.

Then a phrase from Bekka crept into Ontari's mind and she wrote it:

**Homo Sapien noctem sanguinem**

Ontari looked over to see the Pramheda standing next to her grinning.

"Night Blood Humans." Bekka spoke. Ontari felt ashamed but worried.

"I..." Ontari tried to speak but being in Bekka's presence made her worried.

"I like your dream." Bekka moved to touch the images before her. "It is what I wanted for the Nightbloods before things got corrupted and used for political gain by those seeking to control the Flame."

"I don't want to be weak." Ontari spoke as she started to eye the child she had drawn... An image of a girl that might not come to be. Her marks and Jasper's kind eyes.

"You are not... Weak... Just young... I forged my own passions into you."

"I... I want to..." Ontari was desperately trying to explain her feelings.

"Not be alone..." Leska moved and reached out to Ontari. "Change the conclave. Form the council of your brothers and sisters of who will claim the flame. Not through combat... I learned from Klark's memories that Aiden tried to start a tradition for the Nightbloods to come. The Flame is not a prize; it is a mantel. One to be shared and to be accepted to one who would guide, not lead those under their charge."

"I am a guide now?" Ontari felt confused.

"Commander is a Rank and Title. The Flame... It was always meant to be a mantel. They were never to be one and the same." Bekka spoke.

"I was a horrible commander." Ontari spoke aloud.

"Be the Flame... Be the guide." Leska spoke.

"Flame... Guide..." Ontari was confused.

"Don't lead... Learn and Teach. Lend skills, share your knowledge. Guide those to come to forge the higher things."

"Share what knowledge? What do you want me to forge?"

"Remember the girl you were in the City of Light." Leska spoke.

"Become the Nightblood who searches out knowledge needed and shares it with those who need it so that they can change the world." Bekka added. "It is why you were all crafted. It screams in your blood, no matter how much people try to deny it from you."

"How?" Ontari spoke.

"You have started on the Path with the one named Karina." Leska spoke.

"Teach her the blade?"

"Yes and more... Learn what she knows. The little secrets and help solve large problems." Bekka spoke before she drifted away.

"Follow your heart. The answer is nearer than you think." Leska added as she patted on the wall over the picture that Ontari drew of herself and Jasper. Ontari looked at the picture she had drawn then at the army she had drawn.

**_Homo Sapien noctem sanguinem._ **

**_The people of the Night Blood._**

* * *

 

Jasper stretched out some as he sat on the floor of his room as he leaned against the back of his bed.

The Nightbloods had followed him like puppies... And that reference was from a movie he had seen as a child from the libraries on the station.

Word had gotten around of General Jasper Kon Skaikru leading the armies of Alie as well as the Hundred in battle.

As Jasper leaned to turn some he felt something sticking in his side... more... Someone. Artesia.

Artesia had grabbed onto his shirt as was snuggling next to him trying to get warm. Jasper reached over to see his heavy jacket laying on the bed next to the feet of several more Nightblood children. Stretching his fingers out Jasper grabbed onto his jacket doing his best to not wake the young girl. Hooking his fingernails onto a seam Jasper pulled the Jacket to himself and once he had enough of it to grab onto he moved and placed it over the girl like a blanket.

The girl relaxed some as she mumbled something in her sleep. Jasper didn't know enough grounder but got the jest of it being about Ontari.

Deeply sighing Jasper moved his arms to pick up the book he had been reading.

_Power and Politics of Ancient England._

Most of the era he had been reading about sounded very much like current Grounder society.

Just knowing that most of this power play stuff taking place with the Coalition was just folks seeing who had a good position with the new Heda.

Heda- Commander and Ruler of the People.

Jasper just remembered what Ontari had told him in the City of Light.

Seeing these kids around him, Ontari's behavior now made sense.

The Grounders groomed random children from their different Clans to lead them. They educated, trained and taught these youths to guide them to the future. Chosen from their various clans all because of some genetic Plug and Play protein that turned their blood black just so they could place a damn microchip with the uploaded memories of their predecessors to lead them forward.

But Nia had screwed things up for Ontari by denying her an education. Ontari was desperate in trying to cram a lifetime of education in a few weeks just so she could lead. But it had come with disastrous results. Jasper could see her struggling to come to terms with what she wanted and... Well... her freedom.

Jasper moved and started to read some to himself.

Queen Boudicca wasn't a bad figure for Ontari to emulate. Mostly it was the fact that this woman wanted Rome, the major empire of the time to keep to their treaties and honor their agreements. When those treaties were broken and Rome attempted to Rape, Assault, pillage and terrorize the land. Boudicca had up and had it with them and waged a war against them. Though Boudicca was unsuccessful in her rebellion, she had sent the message that even in failure and death her people were strong and would stand up to anyone who would ever try to take their lands by force ever again.

For Jasper this sounded a little like Lexa... Clarke... even Luna...

With that one of the Nightblood girls who was slowly budding into womanhood rolled over and started to snuggle closer to one of her siblings. On the bed several young boys... The twins as Jasper had dubbed them, started to get restless and start to punch at the pillows on his bed. Several teens both male and female had... well take up places around the room and were now resting.

The Nightbloods almost had this need to learn... but also a nervous twitch about them that they needed to do something.

Considering that Bekka had created them using some of her own genetic material and how driven that young woman was to set things right... Well the Grounders had gone from Stone Age to early Greece in less than a hundred years. What would the next Hundred bring if they survived the current crisis at hand? Maybe a return to the stations?

Jasper sighed as he moved to pick up another book from the pile of text he had been able to remember from Ontari's reading list.

_Forging the Good Strife: The Creation of Ancient Greece._

Jasper started to read some of the foreword of the book.

This was going to be an interesting book as Jasper started to get into it.

Given what Jasper had learned of the recent history of these lands. The more he read, the more Jasper started to realize that Ontari was looking and learning of a similar situation that had happened with the known world long ago.

Change a few of the names and people involved and... Well... Crap... This was a serious plan for rebuilding.

This is when Ontari came into the room to see the numbers of her fellow Nightbloods around. Most of them sleeping, but seeing the large pile of books before Jasper and the sheets of paper that some of the more literate ones had used to take notes on. Ontari started to grin.

"Sorry for taking so long." Ontari moved and slowly made her way to where Jasper was sitting.

Upon seeing the pile of books on the floor, Ontari's eyes lit up.

"Where did you find these books?" Ontari moved to sit on the floor by him as she started to look over the titles. "I thought that they were false creations in the City of Light!" This is when Jasper leaned over and helped her get more comfortable as the other Nightbloods were starting to stir awake.

"I remembered your book list and started searching for them in Arkada's library." There was a pause. "Some of the texts had been stolen by those in Mount Weather." Jasper lied some but as Ontari opened one of the books to see the mark of the Mountain Men inside of the text. Jasper moved to start to peel away at it. Underneath was the mark of the Eagle and Scroll. "Library of Congress, Special Presidential Library Division." Ontari closed the book and looked at the title.

"Guess there was a reason that Skaikru were raiding the mountain for loot." Ontari spoke as she opened another book.

"That and replacement electrical wire and water filters. Some of that came in handy when the containment army poisoned our river water supply." This brought about a spit of water from one of the Nightbloods. "Hey, it takes a day to pull the toxins out of that stuff." Jasper called out. Jasper just rolled his eyes realizing that there was a lot that these kids needed to learn. "Guess that I will have to start mixing up the chemicals to make another filter." Jasper spoke as he leaned back. "Not everything inside of the Mountain was of the Mountain. Just want you to know that." Artesia who had awakened by Ontari's arrival started to reach out to the book on Jasper's lap.

"Can you finish reading the chapter about Queen Boudicca?" Ontari moved as she realized what had been taking place.

"You have been reading to them?" Ontari looked at the text around Jasper.

"It started with them asking about what I knew of the tales of Rebekka from when she was on station, then they asked for more so I started using your reading list that you had from there. I mean only you would have raided the entire Library in the City of Light to search for the texts of how to become a better Heda." Jasper raised his hand. "No offence, but what Nia taught you about politics and schmoozing especially."

"No offence… I agree with you there… She was more of the:  ** _be feared than loved_**  rulers than  ** _I am respected because I am a leader who knows my people_**  type." This is when Ontari started to look through the piles of books. "Which one of the texts were you on with Queen Boudicca?"

" _Power and Politics of Ancient England_." Jasper responded Ontari moved and got comfortable as the Nightbloods started to surround her.

"The conversation I had with Bekka was right." Ontari moved to flip through the pages of the book. "I have to accept this mantel. The Flame isn't just for me, it is for them as well."

"You spoke to the spirit of the Pramheda?" One of the Nightbloods spoke up with awe.

"Yes… Mostly it was to resolve some conflicted feelings I had." This is when Ontari moved out and patted Artesia on the head. "The Flame is just a mantel that we were to carry to make the Krus stronger. But Bekka wanted us to spread and thrive among them. What happened in the past… I suspect as I learn more of what happened to our predecessors was a power play done to keep us weak and from our true destiny." Ontari felt the text that was in her hands. "Something that I swear to you and to your offspring will be something never to happen again." Ontari's words felt that she had decided to become the older sibling that would protect her family from those like Nia. "So tell me what you have learned so far about Queen Boudicca?"

Jasper grinned as he saw the girl that had stolen his heart in the City of Light return even for a few brief moments.

The scars were there… but the strength of hope in those eyes were flickering back brighter than before

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yongon gada – Child Daughter "Little Sister"
> 
>  
> 
> Please Review and let me know what you think of the story so far?  
> Hearns


	7. Monsters and the Scars of Battle

The last few days pasted quickly as Jasper got to know the real Ontari. The Azgeda girl seemed to be a creature of extremes. Curious one moment, super violent the next. Though she was doing her best to balance the two.

Put Ontari with a book... well... she was happy.

Ontari was a voracious reader.

If there was a text out there she was going to read it.

Forget piles of gold and jewels in some treasure vault, if there was some ancient library out there she would find the key to it and revel before the pages of lost knowledge before her.

She liked to read to her fellow Nightbloods... Sharing that knowledge had gained in hopes of undoing the crime of ignorance Queen Nia had placed on her.

If things had been different, Ontari would have made an excellent teacher.

Though the violence had shaped her as it had him, but there was sense that she was finding some inner peace... That wasn't when she was meditating to gain the knowledge from the previous Commanders.

Seeing Ontari walk with a staff in her hands as she now made her way to the showers was a major achievement for her. Ontari wasn't using the crutches too much anymore but her swapping to a staff both gave her a weapon but also a more benign tool to temper her mood with. She could kill you with it, but it would take some time to do so.

The Ice Nation had been feared by their veracity, but almost through luck and circumstance Ontari had become more in control of herself thus using that veracity as a means to heal.

Roan had let the truth out that Ontari had been harmed by Nia in ways that the late Queen had attempted to take control of the Commander's Flame by using the young girl to gain its secrets. Ontari had never really had her freedom and had been treated more of an attack animal than as a person. Servant girl, instead of a member of the Royal family.

Thrust in Nia's death and the political shifting taking place within the Ice Nation with what the new political order was to be. Ontari was a lost young woman thrust into a situation where she had neither the training nor the knowledge to handle situations rationally. She was a creature of instinct.

Alie had played this to her advantage to give the young woman what she wanted.

Somehow Ontari sought out the knowledge she needed and Alie just feed the girl's desires to her heart's content. Content to the point to where Ontari had become a lamb ready for slaughter.

Maybe it was part of the genetic hard wiring Bekka had put into the Nightbloods, but Ontari had started seeking out who she was. Toss in the uploaded personalities of the Flame that had Followed Clarke into the City of Light and Ontari was getting her much denied education of what a Nightblood should be. Jasper could forgive the girl when she looked flustered. Kindness was a new thing to her, so when she encountered it… well… being seen as non-hostile helped her calm down. Then there was the nervousness she had when people caught her between her Ice Nation self and Coffee Shop girl.

Ontari was a little nervous at times when she saw others caught her talking with the past Commanders and they saw how weak she was in her education of being a leader to all of the Grounders.

When the Glowing Forest Ambassador walked in on her talking with her predecessor Einheart as she was reciting the names of those who had come before her she almost freaked. She was stuck between acting like a Commander or the young inexperienced woman she was. It sort of flowed as such from various recounting Jasper had heard:

" _Bekka, Adam, Carmen, Einheart, Ory, Aida, Francesca, Forza, Leska, Clarke, and myself_." Ontari had been speaking at the time. Ontari was doing her best to keep the names in order. " _What do you mean I have to say it again_?" Ontari pouted like a young child. " _We have done it so many times that my voice is nearly gone from my throat_."

The Ambassador watched as she watched the young woman was nearly to the point of tears.

Ontari took another deep breath and did her best to say the names again. " _Bekka... Rebekka... Einheart... you want me to say them with their kru_?" Ontari was flustered as she started again.

" _Rebecca Mugan kon Polaris, Adam kon Trikru, Einheart kon Flukru, Ory kon Delphi, Aida kon Broadleaf..." Ontari gritted her teeth. "Francesca..._ " Ontari had started to beat her forehead with her fist. " _Francesca..._ " Ontari was trying to force the Kru name from her memory.

" _Francesca of the Glowing Forest._ " The Ambassador had spoken up. Ontari spun around to see the woman standing there. To say that Ontari looked like a frightened rabbit was an understatement. " _My Pardons for interrupting._ " The Ambassador had heard of Ontari's rage when she had been interrupted when she was in a train of thought.

" _How long have.._." Ontari was doing her best to compose herself, but Einheart had calmed the girl as another Heda... Francesca started to speak to Ontari. " _Alright... Heda Francesca._ " Ontari was doing her best to present a decent face towards the Ambassador. "Ambassador I was..."

" _Working with the spirits of your predecessors._ " Ontari nodded as if she had told to do so. " _Uzac was too blunt trying to ask things of you that you were not prepared for. Also... I see that Wanheda's training and time among her warriors have tamed the Beast of the Ice Nation._ " This is when Ontari responded. Ontari was being complimented on her work, not insulted for not doing better.

" _Not tamed... um... welcomed into their pack. I still have my fangs and claws._ " Ontari started to be more truthful on how she felt, there was nervousness about her, but an honest nervousness that fit her situation. " _Many of the Hundred... Not enemy... But cut from the same cloth… forged of pain and endurance. Feel normal, understood, and free_."

" _Well... May your time with your fellow wolves bring forth a healthy forest for all Kru_." The ambassador spoke. Wolves and Healthy forest was a term jasper wasn't familiar with, but given its context probably meant a time of great prosperity.

Ontari's surprise at the compliment as the ambassador left her to continue training with Spirits of the Heda.

As word had gotten around that Ontari was spending time trying to catch up on necessary skills to lead, many of the leaders had started to cut her some slack. Overhearing Ontari speak to Bekka for some insight to how she had to deal with the problems of being a Commander only forced home the issue of how much a monster Nia had been in the life of the young woman. That pain not only forced Ontari to run into Alie's open arms without question. For one as damaged as Ontari had been, Alie had presented herself as a teacher and protector to guide the young woman along to reach her full potential. Alie had presented Ontari a world without pain and suffering and Ontari had nearly paid with her life.

When Ontari had started to make some... educational and protective decrees on the treatment of her fellow Nightbloods had not so much been unquestioned... but was understood. Ontari was trying her best to prevent the same suffering and troubles she had gone through at the hands of Queen Nia.

Ontari was fighting for the future of her fellow Nightbloods and preventing the events and crimes that had been done against her only highlighted that she was finding her voice and when to bear of her teeth to her foes.

Ontari had found her pack... Something to fight for… that only made her that much deadlier, but also granted her a level of control over her life that as long as those things she cherished were left alone, she left you alone.

The Hundred had become a sort of symbol of this changing time and Ontari's membership to it gave them and some of Skaikru some slack over the missteps taken over the past year.

The Hundred were not seen as a threat, but in a sense... Lexa had planned on them taking up the slack in making a group that could to a degree prevent and undo some of the damage those like Nia had done to the world. Considering that nearly half of the delinquents had died since their arrival and the conflicts that had taken place, the idea of Lexa wanting to add warriors from different clans to build up the Hundred wasn't something Jasper wanted. But seeing Ontari emerging into a well formed woman, Jasper was starting to understand Lexa's reason of wanting to re-forge the Hundred into something more.

The idea of adding fifty-six new members to the remaining Hundred was a fate that Jasper wouldn't wish on anyone given the selection process he had gone through when he had been "Thrown to the ground." Though if Ontari was any sign of things, he would hate to see who else would be brought into the fold if they had to go through the same hardships had he had experience. Jasper had seen too much pain for anyone to be willingly banished from their people. But in his case it had been done to preserve some sense of civilization that had been created on the Ark.

Some things needed to die. Some traditions. Some of the things that made the world a fucked up mess. Like the Nightbloods fighting to the death so that a new Commander could be chosen.

In some cases things needed to be saved. Such as Maya, Shay, Lincoln, Lexa and Ontari, but out of that group only one was still breathing.

Scientist, Storyteller, Healer, Leader. The world needed more of those. Maybe that was the reason Ontari… a teacher in training had survived. Being a Commander was one thing, but this… being with her fellow Nightbloods and teaching them about the world… This was worth it.

Given that the showers were now shifting from being the men's to the women's now was one thing Ontari had gotten used to. Ontari had walked into the showers thinking on using it like a tub. After the initial shock of stripping nude searching for the tub. Miller had guided Ontari towards the shower heads and turned on the water. Ontari was a little shocked at first being hit in the face with the water, but when she realized that it was warm and she lavished in it. Warm water was like gold, and to be showered in it was like Heaven. Though Ontari wasn't the first Nightblood to have showered in Arkadia. That went to her kid sister Artesia.

When Artesia had taken her first shower... well, everyone in Arkadia knew about what had taken place. Shessh… That girl could run.

Artesia's streaking incident a few days earlier had taken place when Abby had taken off the dressing off of her head wound. The girl's body had become grimy and Abby had decided to clean up the girl like the mother she was. When Abby had her get a shower for the first time it had been a sight to see. Abby and Clarke had practically had to tackle the naked girl just to dry her off when she came streaking out of the shower stalls stating that the building was raining warm water.

Ontari had been a little upset at the situation, but understanding that they were guests in Arkadia, Artesia's little exclamation was taken as a cultural learning experience. That and Abby being revealed to be Wanheda's mother, well calmed Ontari down. Though Artesia was still being the hyper little girl as she spoke of seeing battle scars on the mothers of Skaikru. Which brought about some curiosity from Ontari on seeing these first hand.

Now given that Ontari wanted to make sure the same incident didn't happen again decided to get the young Nightbloods to bathe. That and some of these kids needed to get the grime cleaned off of them as some of them started to smell. The worst offenders being some of the Nightbloods that had hit puberty.

So today given how slow things were going Ontari was going to make it into a bath day. Afterwards Jasper would start teaching the group about the Periodic Table of Elements so that they might know some of the basic knowledge of the threat they were facing.

Jasper had been tasked on explaining what Chemistry was and a rough breakdown of the elements of the Periodic Table of Elements. Ontari wanted to know what her enemy was and how to best to defend against it given the time to mount a full attack had long past courteously of Alie. Even if they couldn't physically attack it, Jasper could do his best to teach these kids that not all Radiation was a bad thing, it just came down to the amount you got exposed to and how long you were exposed.

In other words… they were all being slowly poisoned to death. That didn't mean that like all poisons, there were ways to reverse the damage done to the body.

Hopefully when Raven and Murphy got back, they could give some good news, or at least a course of action they could take to dilute this poison mess to something that wouldn't kill everyone it came into contact with.

For the time being there was always hope.

That and Ontari was looking good today.

Seeing Ontari now leading the Nalbalda and young Delinquent girls to bathe... Well, the Ice Beast was becoming a howling wolf with her pack. Well she needed to have a better name than that. Something nobler… something that had an animal in it with some serious teeth to it.

Now standing with the male Nightbloods as they leaned against one of the walls of one of the buildings most of the topics had moved towards the usual man stuff as they waited for the girls to finish up. Several of the boys who he was standing with were still reeling from having been scrubbed from their manly dirt. They had gotten a bath earlier as Ontari had scrubbed the more annoying dirt from behind their ears and dug several Potatoes out of their ears. Even as a soaked mess, Ontari had his heart in her hands.

"Jasper..." One of the older boys spoke up looking at him. "The story of the Va'coom. Where Emerson captured it and was going to feed you and several members of the Hundred to it. Were you scared?" Jasper looked at the young boy as he watched as Harper was making her way to guard duty.

"To be Truthful. I was. I had been knocked out tied up and was about to have the air ripped out my lungs when I woke up in the airlock." Jasper saw the confusion on the boy's face.

"Air... You speak of air like it is an object." Jasper rolled his eyes.

"It is, just that it is a liquid and like a fish you are swimming through it. Water is a liquid but it is just much denser than air. Once you understand that then you understand that when a vacuum takes place it is the draining of a liquid from one place to another."

"Air can be drained?" The boy spoke.

"It can be drained, bottled, funneled, channeled, compressed, expanded, frozen, and burned." Jasper spoke as he started to realize that it had been a long time since he had relied on his science and chemistry knowledge... Well other than making Shine.

"You can do that to air?" The boy was now following every word from his mouth.

"Yeah... a vacuum is a state in which matter goes into. I mean an airlock is a place where the air is drained out from one area and flushed into another."

"Wait... so the Va'coom isn't a creature... Emerson placed you into a room where he was going to drain the air out of it and leave you to die like a fish out of water..." The boy exclaimed.

"That sums it up." The boy was blinking. The Grounder kid was processing the horror that Jasper and his friends had escaped from. This was no monster... this was a slow calculating torture device of doom. Hell putting an axe head swinging back and forth on a pendulum would have placed this room into that territory.

"The Montkru were even more evil than I knew about." The boy started to sense that there were more creative ways for one to die in this time in which he lived. Jasper wondered if a session of reading some Poe stories out to this kid would be seriously damaging to him.

"Not all, some worse than others. But if you were pushed to do what they had to do to survive, you would have pitied them." Jasper didn't want to speak ill of the dead, or one of the dead, but even in Hell there were those who sought redemption for the sins of the past.

This is when Jasper watched Harper move up into the watch tower. Despite everything that had happened, hurting her, Monty, and Raven had hit home the most. That was when a roar could be heard from outside the gates.

This is when the guards starting rushing towards the noise. Jasper moved to keep the young Nightblood safe behind him. But knowing that the boy sensed something important going on he started to push on Jasper with all of his might. This is when Harper started to come down the ladder from the tower.

"Harper... What is it?" Harper looked to be in shock.

"Jasper... Remember all of those Grounders that got turned into Reapers and we worked to turn them back... Well one of them is outside."

"A Reaper?" This had the boy's attention. "Are you going to slay it?"

"It is Senua..." Jasper blinked a few times.

"Wait... you mean the female Grounder that had be brought in chained up so we could purge that red crap from her system." Harper shrugged.

"The Same one..." This time another roar took place.

"Wanheda... face me."

"I guess she is pissed about something." Jasper moved as several guards both Arkada and Grounder moved to confront the woman in full war paint.

Jasper had seen Grounders ready for battle, even at the battle of the bridge was nothing like this.

"Where is Wanheda?" The female grounder warrior was holding her long sword in both hands ready to strike down any who approached her.

"Senua?" Harper approached the female warrior. The woman's face was in half blue war paint with markings that covered most of her upper face and a section along her chin.

"Where is Wanheda Skaikru warrior?" Harper approached the woman with her hands raised.

"Senua..." Harper spoke before the warrior lashed out.

"Senua is dead... She died when the Montkru strapped her to that table and turned her into a Reaper." The woman roared out.

"Sin..." Harper looked like she was ready for this woman warrior to strike. "You are no longer a Reaper."

"Ripa... Ripa..." The woman started to chant. "Flesh eater... Child Killer... Servant of the Mountain... Monster." Senua called out. "Where is the Commander of Death? I command her to give me Death."

"What happened?" Harper spoke realizing that this woman wanted to die in battle.

"Ripa... always Reaper." The woman started to take a swing at Harper at a safe distance. The woman seemed to be acting like she wanted to have a fight.

"They saw the monster the Mountain men turned you into and not the woman that returned did they?"

"They did... They threw horse shit at me... Kicked from my home... Then I heard of the City of Light. I place to be welcomed, no pain... no suffering." Senua looked ready to take a few people with her just so she could travel to the City of Light. "I desired that… I hungered for that. Then Wanheda killed the Savior of All… I will have Wanheda's blood on my flesh as I drag her to the next world and the City of Light with me."

"No wonder you are pissed at Clarke..." The woman looked like she was about to shove her blade through someone.

"Alie's City of Light is a Lie." A woman's voice called out. Jasper turned to see Ontari standing next to Clarke. Senua saw her foe standing there and waited for moves to be made.

"Come and face me Wanheda." This is when Ontari raised a hand.

"Clarke may I speak to her?" Ontari started to approach the woman when Clarke nodded her approval. "Senua... I know the peace you seek. I too have known violence in my life. Alie offered lies as she stole your pain and memories to use to keep you compliant as she moved to destroy the world." The woman started to look at Ontari.

"I want death... I want peace." The woman looked like she was moment from losing it.

"Sen... We can help you." Harper spoke as the woman was looking over her decision of taking a blade or a bullet.

"Help me? Help Me... Monsters don't need help... they need to be put down like the savage animals they are." This is when the woman took a swing at Harper as she tried to spear the young Gunner to death. Harper dodge the spearing movement of Senua's blade before slamming Senua's blade with the end of her Shock Stick.

Now most Grounders are not used to seeing a weapon like this being used, but the smell of Ozone, piss and well shit bursting out of Senua's form did put them on the offensive. Harper had taken this woman down without killing her.

"Sen..." Harper moved to kneel down by the former Reaper Woman. "Stay with me." This is when Clarke took off in a flat run towards Harper's side as she checked the woman's pulse. Jasper realized that he might as well help given that Senua was one of the few Reapers that he had help round up in the few times he had been sober since Maya's death.

Several warriors looked at Harper as she moved to collapse the shock stick back down to its palm-sized form.

"Here, I have the feeling you are going to need to have this more than I do." Harper said handing the shock stick to Clarke.

"You only hit her blade and not her?" Ontari's mind was racing on how this small thing could bring down a Reaper or even a former one down to the ground.

"Metal conducts electricity." Harper spoke. "I am glade that she was at least touching the blade when she tried to spear me." This is when Clarke moved to check on Senua's hand. The palm and fingers of the woman's hand were lightly burnt.

"Some heavy second degree burns on the palm with light third degree on the tips of the fingers." Clarke spoke in full Doctor Mode as she moved to check the pulse. "Pulse is steady. No arrhythmia to the heart, but I need to get her to the medical bay to ensure that there isn't any more severe damage."

"Why are you helping her?" Ontari spoke up looking at the woman.

"Because she isn't the only one who is in this state Ontari. Alie's corrupted vision of a perfect peaceful world was a siren cry to those who were in pain." Clarke spoke as she looked at Ontari. "It is my duty as a healer to make sure they are healed." Ontari was not liking the fact that it had been one of Clarke's lieutenants who had been the victor instead of the Commander of Death herself.

"So I should not have run a blade into her lung!" Ontari spoke matter-of-factly. The look of shock was priceless as Clarke glared at the Nightblood girl. Ontari's back step was her way of explaining the truth of her actions. "Which I did not do." Clarke checked the sides of the fallen woman just to make sure.

Ontari's joke was a little too morbid for even his taste. But in light of the current situation all Jasper could do was sigh in response. Clarke looked close to wanting to slap the crap out of Ontari, The only thing that prevented Clarke for doing so was the fact that she was occupied in treating her patient. This is when Clarke responded by saying one word in Grounder. Whatever it was had Ontari gulp. It was something pertaining to death, but the context was strange.

What was so scary that would make Ontari instantly started to help Clarke without question. Jasper could see the nervousness in Ontari's hands as she followed Clarke's instructions to the letter. As Jasper moved to aide Clarke and her to take in the former Reaper into the camp, Jasper took note that Ontari looked to be a very frightened girl by this statement. It wasn't until they had the woman chained down to a bed and was checked out for what other injuries had taken place that Ontari rushed into his arms.

Jasper felt her warm body under his fingers.

"Tari..." Jasper spoke as Ontari started to speak something in her native Grounder tongue.

" _Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op. Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op. Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op_."

Attack... something... Attack... no...  _be attacked by_.

Jasper didn't know enough of the Grounder tongue to translate, but it was a context for... not battle... Attack position. Attack Clarke's position. She had verbally attacked Clarke's position of power among the Grounders. Probably given the context and how she was acting, it maybe meant a death sentence.

"Tari..." Jasper moved and kissed her on the forehead. "Ai hod yu in." This is what snapped the Nightblood back to reality. Amazing what saying "I love you" can do in making a girl love you.

"Jaspa... Ai hod yu in." Ontari looked to be nervous as she started to realize what was going on with her actions. "Did my actions anger Wanheda?"

"Anger yes... but Clarke was in full doctor... healer mode. So... I would give her some room until she is done with this battle." Jasper spoke as Ontari started to realize that she had caught a glimpse of and nearly the full wrath of the Commander of Death. This is when Jasper moved away from Ontari for a moment to speak. "Clarke is there anything that I can snag for you supply-wise?" Clarke who was sorting through removing Senua's glove swore for a moment before she sighed and picked up a pair of surgical scissors.

"Ah... Yeah... you can see if you can snag some Hydrogen peroxide and some alcohol."

"I'll see if I can track down one of my stashes of Shine that Monty or your Mom didn't find, but the Hydrogen Peroxide I think I can fish out of one of the labs. If all else I can see if I can make some. I am taking Ontari with me." Jasper spoke as Ontari started to realize that helping Jasper with this task might put her back in good graces with Clarke. Clarke nodded at this. Distance and cooler heads needed to prevail for the time being.

Walking together, Ontari seemed very introspective.

"Tari... Could you tell me what Clarke said?" Ontari looked at him with pleading eyes.

"The word she spoke... a good translation of it is..." Ontari took a deep breath as she worked on the best translation of it. "Death Whore." Ontari shuddered some. "A Luster of death." That last phrase had Ontari praying in her native language and chanting to Bekka. Jasper stopped and brought her close and started to rock with her back and forth.

"It's alright... your gallows humor wasn't what Clarke was expecting given the situation." Jasper spoke as he started to understand her some more. "Also... I guess that word has some weight and history to it if you are fretting over it. I mean like how you and your fellow grounders see guns and firearms as being taboo." Jasper leaned in as he smelled Ontari's hair. Ontari's recent dietary requirements had made her smell like fruit and nuts and especially strawberries within her deep scalp. "Want to tell me the origins of the story?" Jasper spoke as he reached out to massage her lower back with his thumbs. Even wearing Arker clothing, Ontari liked showing off her midriff or her cleavage-line. Today it was Midriff. Though the skirt she was wearing was more for keeping herself clean from scrubbing the young Nightbloods than for beauty. Though the cutoff leggings showed off the lines of her thighs and buttocks. Her top was more of a borrowed t-shirt of his. But as he moved his fingers along her back, her bra or breast wrap that she had around her was something he understood that he needed to learn how to untie if they ever decided to take their relationship to the next level.

"I will but as we acquire what Wanheda needs." Jasper got the feeling that this was going to be a long story.

* * *

 

The first place that they hit were his quarters. Ontari watched as Jasper moved to pound on a panel where Columbia had been sleeping next to Daven over the last few nights when their evening teaching sessions went long. Ontari hadn't realized that Jasper had hidden things in this room, but as drawing of the nearby woods and several images featuring the scar patterns of her people Ontari started to get the feeling that there was much that he had been hiding from her. Though the attempts of drawing her face stated that he was in love with her.

Seeing the metal bottles Jasper moved to take them out.

"Ontari, could you help me gather these up." Jasper spoke as he started to count the bottles. Ontari knelt down to pick one up. She attempted to pull the lid off, but it wouldn't move.

"Damnit, this thing is..." Ontari gritted her teeth as she yanked on the top of the bottle. Then Japser's hands connected with her's and with a twist the lid came off. Ontari just blinked at she got a whiff of the contents... The Strong scent of the grain and alcohol burned her eyes.

"If you want to take a drink, you can." Jasper spoke as Ontari realized that he was offering the bottle to her.

"You offer this drink to me?" Ontari was impressed.

"Just go slow..." Ontari leaned back the bottle and took a drink, then she couldn't breathe... Ontari's felt her breathe being stolen from her as she attempted to clear her mouth of the powerful beverage. Coughing for several moments Jasper rushed to her side. Ontari had drunk strong wine before, even the strongest of the Mead honey Wine that had been brewed by some of the Kru for mid-winter had never been this strong. Eyes watering Jasper moved to take off his shirt to wipe at her face. "... Well, guess that Skaikru Shine is a bit strong for you if you are not used to it." Ontari just coughed as she worked hard to regain her breath. This is when she saw the scar on Jasper's chest. Where the injury around his chest showed that he had been hurt via a spear thrust.

Ontari reached out and touched Jasper's chest.

The Injury looked to be severe... nearly fatal...

"Who..." Ontari was doing her best... Damn Skaikru Ale. She needed to speak. With a series of coughs Ontari was able to work enough air down her throat to speak. Jasper patted on her back to help clear the fumes from her breath.

Jasper looked down to see what she was looking at. Then with a deep sigh he moved her to the bed and sat her down. Bottles of Ale long forgotten.

"How... Did... You?" Ontari patted at Jasper's wound. This is when Jasper turned around to see that Ontari needed another rag to clean herself that she saw that he didn't have one wound, but two...

"It's alright... take your time." Jasper was more concerned about her than her interest in his body or its injuries.

"Your... Wounds." Ontari was able to spit out with actual spit.

Now she had his attention.

"Oh..." Jasper realized what she was talking about. "I got speared through my chest by a few Grounders who decided to use me a live bait." After a moment Jasper added. "Clarke saved my life after... several days of suffering."

"Live Bait..." Ontari had known of this trick. Capture an enemy by spearing him. Just treat his wounds so that he wouldn't immediately die on you and leave them in a place so that you could kill his rescue party. Ontari moved to touch the scar tissue. "Scar... The Scar on your back." Ontari felt... scared. Not battle scared, but scared for Jasper as she realized that this had been a nearly fatal wound.

"The Exit wound." This now had Ontari's attention. Jasper would have been dead... or at least near death when... Commander of Death. The term wasn't from slaying the warriors of Mount Weather... It had come from her healing skills. Clarke...

Clarke had Commanded Death to leave this boy alone.

Commanded Death itself to let this boy live.

Commanded Death to let Ontari herself have a second chance at life.

Ontari touched her own near fatal wound.

This is when Ontari moved to her knees and prayed to the gods.

She had to seek forgiveness for interrupting Wanheda during her treatment of the injured. She didn't want the spirits of the dead that she had participated in their torture of under the control of Alie seeking her out and dragging her to the underworld.

* * *

 

Jasper was a bit in shock when he saw Ontari fall to her knees by his bed.

She was chanting something.

Maybe the fact that Ontari and him had both survived near death experiences that she was possibly praying to her gods. He knelt down and started to pray to his own gods next to her.

Jasper hadn't been all that religious in his life, but amazing what a spear through the chest will do for someone finding their faith.

Jasper leaned and started to speak in a mixture of a prayer and a retelling of the events.

"Mother Earth, I know that it has been many months since I last spoke to you, but I guess that it is time for me to talk to you again." Jasper spoke as Ontari slowed her own prayers to her gods to listen. One thing about Ontari, if you got her attention, you had her full attention as she started to listen in. Maybe her crisis of faith was being eased by the fact she wasn't alone in going through something so horrific. "I mean the last time I spoke to you I was moaning through levels of pain after some Grounder threw a spear through me. Whatever you had in mind in having Clarke work through those days to save my life I still do not know why. Maybe you had something planned for me. Maybe to be there for a girl who went through a fight of her own like I did?" Ontari moved closer. Maybe her own fears being calmed by the fact she wasn't alone in being scared of what had happened to her.

"Bori... I ask that you speak to Skaikru god Earth Mother on my behalf. I know that my recent actions of being called a Death Whore are well deserved. Even-more-so in light of me falling under the spell of Alie the Red Witch. I ask for you to give me the strength to cleanse my name of those actions. If I must perform Blood must have Blood by spilling my own Blood to do so, then let me do so." Ontari felt Jasper moved his arm around her.

"Mother Earth, I know that this girl beside me is one of your children, so if you can ask her gods to let her speak to her on your behalf, that she isn't alone in her pain." Jasper was asking her gods to take pity upon her. Maybe even allow her to have a little bit of peace in her short violent life.

"Jasper... You asked your gods to watch over me?" Ontari seemed less scared sensing that he as accepting of her ways.

"Well, you did ask your god Bori to..."

"Goddess... Bori is the Goddess of the Northern Lights. She watches over those in her care." Ontari spoke as she started to trace the scars on Jasper's chest.

"Are these green lights that show up in the night sky?" Jasper spoke.

"They are..." Jasper grinned, Ontari must have seen the Aurora Borealis from around the Great Lakes area of the Ice Nation territory. Maybe seeing them from his position in the Sky must have meant that he understood the majesty she and her people worshipped. "You know, before I was torn from my Mother's arms... she said that I would meet a boy that would know of Bori's protection." Ontari moved to take off the shirt she had been wearing. She was offering herself up to him.

"Tari... If you want to..." Jasper felt Ontari's eyes bore into him. She was seeking a primal protection of herself. To feel safe. To feel loved. But given Ontari's lack of social skills, probably meant sex. Maybe she saw this as a blessing to have the family she so wanted.

"I want to make love to you my General." Jasper moved to stop Ontari. He wanted her… but not like this? He wanted her comfortable, herself, not desiring protection out of some need for safety and power. He wanted her happy, safe, and maybe… to give him the chance to ask her to marry him. Plus there was another reason that was by the door of his room that having both of them rip their clothes off in passionate lovemaking would have been awkward to explain to the others.

"Alright... But I think we should save the love making for later until we get the rest of the supplies." That was when Jasper cleared his throat. "And out of sight of your little sister." Jasper thumbed in the direction of Artesia. Ontari blushed out of embarrassment as she realized that Jasper had saved the both of them from a very uncomfortable situation before her fellow sister Nightblood.

"Jasper... Wanheda sent me to see what was taking so long in getting the supplies she needs to treat the Reaper woman." Artesia was giggling some. "... Are you going to yell at him sonraun gada?" Ontari felt Jasper move as he started to slide Ontari's shirt back onto her. The groan spoke volumes as she started to slip an arm though one of the sleeves.

"No..." Ontari gritted her teeth. The Mood had been killed, but Jasper giggled as Ontari started to realize that he respected her, not for her position or power, or bloodline, but for who she was.

"You know, I like her, she brings out a side of you. I see the woman you were when we were in that coffee tavern." Ontari relaxed as she started to feel safe as she realized that the price of his loyalty was already paid for and it hadn't required her spreading her legs to receive it.

"She was a lie." Ontari spoke as she moved to shove her other arm through the borrowed t-shirt.

"Not all of her. Yes she was without the pain, but that spark that was her was still here." Ontari tilted her head at this as he placed his hand on her heart. The scar there only highlighted a battle had been fought to keep her alive.

"But it was a..."

"Lie... What about me? How much of me was the lie that you saw while we were there? Were the scars under my shirt there when talked about leaders and government, and all sorts of things you were reading about?" Ontari started to realize that the scars, they had been shaped by them, but also they needed them to grow stronger.

Ontari reached up and ran a finger over Jasper's chest scar. Jasper at the same time traced his fingers on top of her breast bone where her scar was forming. The breast wrap pulling her breasts together in a sultry way as Ontari hadn't pulled all of the t-shirt down yet as it was still hiked under her armpits.

"I..."

"I love you my Ice Wolf." Ontari took shocked look at him.

"Ice Wolf?" Onari moved closer to him.

"Clarke is called the Golden Wolf. You are from the Ice Nation, but like the Hundred, we are like a Pack. So welcome to our wolf pack fellow wolf." Jasper moved and barked at her like he had seen in an old nature film that Pike had them watch during survival training.

"Ice Wolf... I like it." Ontari growled, a little as she playfully moved over to kiss/lick him. Artesia just giggled. Ontari rolled her eyes as she moved and placed her head on Jasper's chest, fingers rolling over the scar tissue. The realness of it made her calm down.

"You like him..." Artesia called out. Ontari looked over and said something in her native tongue. Jasper needed to learn more of the Grounder language as Ontari leap from her position on the floor to chase after Artesia. Most of what Jasper was able to get was loosely translated as: " _the torture of laughter_ " as Ontari made her way out to the hallway.

Coffee shop girl was back and was about to get revenge her little sister for messing up her potential sexcapades with the boy she was in love with.

Jasper was glad that of what happened so that he could plan a decent date for the both of them.

* * *

 

Ontari felt a little better about herself as Artesia walked with them carrying a small box of supplies. The bottles of Skaikru ale and a few rags were in the young Nightblood's box, but Ontari was carrying the more dangerous items. This Hyg-dro-gen Per-Ox- side according to Jasper could be dangerous if it caught fire or was injested. Jasper had found a few bottles from the Hygh-dro-pon- yeks bay. Such a strange compound, but when Jasper stated it was used to killed plant mold in soil and was also used to be burned to make fuel to bring their villages up and down from the sky. Ontari sensed that something this powerful shouldn't be left unattended.

"So... This was used on Anya's forces when she attacked your camp?" Ontari felt the bottles under her arms.

"Yeah... I was able to rig up a bypass to spray the area where we would be attacked. Raven just rigged up the igniter to light the stuff up."

"I heard that they had been burned to ash." Ontari spoke listening to the story of Anya's failed attack on the Hundred.

"Most were, but the effect afterwards was that every seed in the ground started to bloom like crazy. I mean there is a layer of grass so thick that you have to cut at it with a knife to hit soil."

"Slay your foes with this weapon, then later raise your crops on the land where their bones lay." Ontari was impressed but also she started to realize why Skaikru had wanted to place their farmers upon the land of the Mountain Men. The slaying of a great foe also meant they would have a great crop upon that land.

Skaikru were following their warrior tradition.

Nia, had thought it was them claiming the Mountain... No... Skaikru didn't want to be in those caves. They wanted to plant their crops upon the land of their foe.

They wanted to plant seeds upon the bones of their enemies so that in a way they could consume their power in the months to come.

They wanted to plant their crops before the bodies of their foe had rotted into nothingness and become stronger.

Nia had ruined their right for victory over their foe.

If Ontari ever found Nia's pickled body, she would hack the damn thing up and plant it within the farm soil of Skaikru so that she could claim the power for herself and the others of the Hundred-kru.

Blood must have blood.

Veins to Vines, Bones to Berries, Corpses to Crops.

Wanheda knew where Nia's corpse was, Ontari was going to make this right.

Walking into the healer's chamber's Ontari watched as Clarke was checking over the body of the female Reaper.

"Wanheda... we bring the supplies you asked for." Ontari spoke with fealty.

"Place them on the table and bring me the following: A bottle of shine and a bottle of Peroxide." Wanheda spoke as she checked over the neck scars of the Reaper. Over in the corner stood the Skaikru warrior, Harper as she kept her weapon at the ready. The firearm was almost as large as a sword. If it had a name it probably was something along the lines of  _Grounder Killer_ ,  _Bather of Blood_ , or _Cleaver of Flesh_. Ontari felt that given the past situation with her comments towards Wanheda needed to be put right and Harper looked like she would use that weapon upon her.  _Slayer of Ice Wolf_  that probably was going to be the weapon's name after this if Ontari didn't undo the damage done with her words and actions for her ill comments over the injured.

"Commander..." Ontari decided to be direct with the Skaikru woman. "I know that you called me a Death Whore for a good reason." Ontari swallowed hard. She needed to put her pride in check no matter how much she wanted to stab Clarke of Skaikru to death, maybe there was a reason that Leska had commanded the young Nightblood to obey the order " ** _Clarke of Skaikru must not be harmed!_** " But placing the bottled on the small metal table near where Wanheda was working Ontari started to realize the level of intensity the woman was working at. Almost on the level of one going into combat.

"Sit... I need you to observe." Wanheda motioned for Ontari to watch what she was doing. Ontari moved to sit in the chair next to the Reaper woman's bed. "What do you see?" Wanheda spoke as she pulled out a stick covered in some sort of white fuzz.

"I see the burn marks on the hand and fingers." Ontari spoke.

"Yes but there are two types of burns. The light ones on the palm is what is called a Second Degree burn. Now there are four types of these. The first type usually takes place usually under extreme sun exposure or long exposure to long heat like picking up a overly hot piece of meat from a meal. The second is broken up on two levels, outer skin and deep flesh. Now the outer skin ones can be seen around the edges of where the glove I removed had been. The deeper injuries can be seen around where the metal palm guard had been." Ontari was viewing the injury on new terms. For Wanheda's healing skills she was viewing the injury like a collection of foes. "Now the third type where the metal was touching the skin as you can see the pattern of where the metal was pressed into her flesh."

"You said that there was a forth type. What is it?" Ontari started to understand some of what was taking place.

"The forth type is charred flesh, where it goes down through all of the levels of flesh and towards the bone. That is the most difficult to heal and to treat. In most cases the flesh has to be carved off to help save the life as it has already died for it has been cooked." This image made Ontari shudder. There had been stories of Reapers cooking their victims alive, but to know that there was a healer's term for what took place made Ontari gulp. "Now we are dealing with the middle of the group of four, so what you brought me will help in the treatment process." Ontari watched as Wanheda started to clean off the injured flesh with several instruments taking care to use the per-ox-cide to cleanse the site.

The Per-ox-cide foamed much like winter and spring Honey Mead on the site. The Reaper who groaned at this action seemed to be pain, but not so much from the injury, but from the fact that she was still alive. Ontari could sense the emotional pain of this woman who had her humanity taken from her and thrust back with just as much force upon her. Woman to beast back to woman again will with the memories of what she had done weighing on her soul.

As Wanheda started to move to using the Shine to cleanse the blood of where the deep and dead flesh had been, Ontari watched as the battle took place. Precision and being methodical in her actions as avenues of attack were taken upon this miniature field of battle. Ontari moved to look at the cut-away glove that had been removed prior to her arrival. The damage had been unseen, as so had the foe Wanheda had been fighting. But looking over at the hand, the scale of the battle that had been fought highlighted that Ontari had to look deeper at a situation. There was more taking place under the surface unseen then there was on the surface that could be initially seen.

Wanheda moved to add some healer's powder that was made from pig skin and healing herbs that the bandaging process was taking place. The bandaging was being done with care to cover the more severe wounds first before moving to work on the less severe ones. Ontari felt that her own knowledge about combat was far weaker than Wanheda's. Ontari wouldn't have seen moves that Wanheda would have exploited to her full advantage in battle. How many kru would be lost? How many forces would she lose if Ontari herself decided to engage Wanheda in a war?

"Are you alright?" Wanheda spoke placing a hand on Ontari's shoulder.

"Just realizing how much knowledge I lack in fighting wisely." Wanheda grinned, not out spite, but out of understanding. A lesson had been taught and her student had learned her lesson.

"The first rule of understanding is accepting that one knows nothing, once you understand that then learning what to do next comes easily." Ontari felt that this wasn't a lesson about combat, it was understanding that she needed to grow.

"Wanheda..." Ontari felt small as she looked at the scene of the battle that had taken place. "You don't see me as weak, but needing of an education."

"And a family... I see how you act around your fellow Nightbloods, especially Artesia." Wanheda spoke to her student. "I know why you fight now. That is something that Alie never could really give you. But now... You are willing to learn to fight to give them a future. That isn't a weakness. That is your strength."

"So... What you had me witness here..." Ontari motioned to the bandaged hand.

"Context... And I wanted to see your reaction to tending to the injured and wounded. Maybe one day the wound you might be treating might be of someone you love or one of your fellow Nightbloods." Wanheda's words stuck in Ontari's mind as she saw Leska reaching out to touch Clarke. The look in Leska's eyes spoke volumes and a secret had revealed itself to her.

Heda Leska and Wanheda had been lovers...

"Wanheda..." Ontari rose before correcting herself. "Clarke of Skaikru... How did Leska die?" Wanheda looked down and sighed. "An accident by Titus's hand." This is when she answered. "Thank you for..." The imagery flooded by to Ontari. It was Roan who had slit Titus's throat.

"It wasn't me who avenged Leska... It had been Roan's blade, but it was Titus's hand that did the deed." Ontari let the truth be known. "Leska's spirit reaches for you." Ontari shifted.

"Clarke, if you and Ice Girl here need to have some private time together, I can keep an eye on things here with Senua." Harper of Skaikru spoke. The look on the blonde warrior's face stated that she wanted to spend time with the former Reaper. There was some history between the two, maybe Ontari would learn about it later, but for now... Seeing Leska in so much pain.

If Ontari herself died... would one of the Nightbloods move to sooth Jasper's pain?

"Clarke..." Ontari bit her lip. "I do this so that I can grant you peace so in the future when I die... My beloved can have peace." Leska turned towards her understanding.

"I will tell you, but only before you and the rest of the Nightbloods and my friends." Harper looked at Clarke. Maybe this was a chapter that needed to be told so that a period of mourning could take place. "I will tell you tonight after dinner."

Ontari got the feeling that maybe this was setting a precedence for those who would be carrying the Flame in the future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> /\ Jomp em op en yu jomp ai op – You harm her, you harm me.  
> /\ Ai hod yu in – I love you too.  
> /\ sonraun gada – Big sister.  
>   
> Some of these translations come from another fanfic named Don't Be Afraid by sailor8t which you can find at and Archive of Our Own. Thanks to sailor8t for directing me to trigedasleng. Info for the help for later chapters.  
> Please review and let me know what you all think of the story so far.  
> Hearns


	8. Weight of Command

Ontari had gathered the Nightbloods with her as they ate their meal in the common area. Abby had returned along with Raven and Murphy. Their report had been delivered earlier to a small group of Coalition Members. To say that the situation was bad was an understatement. Given that a chained Jaha had been brought before the group along with several of Skaikru who had done research on the amount of Radiation exposure to help plot a course of action spoke of the range the sickness was spreading. Most of the knowledge was over her head, but at every moment she needed to learn more about this foe and how it move and fought. But the meeting she was still reeling from as a course of action had been decided on.

Ontari thought back on the events and realized the part she would play in the days to come.

_"We are talking Daiichi situation bad with these reactors, Three Mile with others and with the worse burners we are talking at least Chernobyl grade damage with Elephant Foot slag leaking from the reactor cores."_  Raven spoke as she showed the data to a chained Jaha. Ontari didn't know what those words meant, but from the look on the faces of Skaikru it was worse than she thought. Just seeing the blood drain from Jaha's face did cheer her up, but the seriousness of his reaction spoke volumes as he wished that if the gods had the power for him to undo all the wrongs he did, maybe destroying Alie was on that list right next to not sentencing Sharlot of Skiakru to the dungeons for her minor crimes against their people.

_"Daini in its crisis still had power in its sections. Is there a chance for us to do a reroute of power to keep the system stable on the ones that haven't gone critical?"_  Jaha said realizing that his bits of knowledge, though considered biased, were no longer biased through the lens of the City of Light being a place of safety. No this was a man driven to at least put some things right before Death sought out his sorry little ass to drag him to the underworld.

_"If the data was there, Alie ignored it considering it irrelevant."_  An older female Skaikru Kanic spoke as she looked haggared from looking through the records Alie had kept on her final weapon.  _"Though I don't think she had the ability to send her drones underwater. Most of her research was done through looking at the equipment readings at each station and a visual inspection of the holding pools."_ The woman spoke.  _"If we had the power, we would still need to make a visual inspection of the intake tunnels that were supplying water to the holding pools. Only by looking at those tunnels and seeing what state they were in we would at least have a chance to use them to cool down the remaining material in the reactors."_

_"So pretty much screwed for anyone involved if they want to take a swim up into the hearts of those beasts."_  Murphy spoke as he moved through the piles of information they had brought back.  _"I mean if we had control of Alie's drones, or at least had a way to convert one of them into a submersible boat, there is no way in the time we have to put out all of the fires."_

_"Well, what if we put out some of the fires... I mean, Bekka knew that there were survivors on the ground. What if we get the poison down to a level where at least it would be like the time of the Great Burn?"_  Emori spoke up as she headed over the pile of documents that been brought with them.

_"Emori, we are approaching that level in the next four months. Even then the levels were going down."_  Clarke spoke her words.  _"It took another twenty years for the radiation to reach current levels to where those who Bekka saved were able to freely move about the lands."_

This is when Ontari started speaking.  _"The Mountain Men survived."_

_"Yes, but their bodies were set up for the old radiation levels before Alie sent the Nukes flying. Even then they had to harvest our bone marrow even for them to have a chance to leave the mountain."_  Clarke stated as she motioned to the members of Skaikru present.

_"But what if we worked on Blood forging. Use the knowledge Bekka used to help the survivors."_  Ontari spoke as she started to flip through Bekka's journal. Ontari descendant of Pramheda Bekka wasn't going to let this witch win.

_"Wouldn't exactly work, we are talking about dealing with two situations here."_  Abby spoke standing up and walking over to her.  _"I checked the levels of Iodine 191 levels Caris's blood and even if we were able to duplicate the Nightblood blood factors throughout as many people we could save. We are stuck with the fact that we have to shelter only so many people as we can till the radiation levels go down. But that doesn't mean that option is off the table, just that the time frame means we have to do it within isn't a viable option. Even if we started it now we have the balance rebuilding the shelters to last the time during this radiation storm, there is no way for us to do both at the same time."_

_"At the worse we are looking at maximum toxicity of the planet in less than four months."_  Jaha added.  _"Though Ontari's comment does bring merit. Bekka did calculate the level of toxicity that is survivable on the surface and for life to thrive in that environment. The Nightblood formula might be able to increase the number of survivors."_  This had Clarke's attention as she realized that Ontari had a good option on the table, not perfect, but one that could be worked on.

_"What if we use a two-pronged attack on this situation? Use the shelters that survived the Great Burn. Equip them the same way that the stations were configured for habitation while they were in the sky. During this time tweak the formula that Bekka used for radiation protection which she used to make the Kru strong, but leave the factors out that make Nightbloods be Nightbloods. Not everyone needs to have the Flame Chip in their heads."_  Ontari was doing her best not to make her status of being a Nightblood be something trivial but she was trying to save as many lives as she could so she could remove the reference of Death Whore from her name. Though from the looks from the crowd and their past experience in the City of Light that last reference about the chip almost brought a sigh of relief.

On the other side of the coin Ontari was understanding where this was going, they needed to set priorities of what was needing to be done. This was a battle, the set objectives of where to attack were being established against this giant that was coming their way. Though falling back till you had the forces that you needed to win was coming through quite clear. If you knew where the giant was going to step, then you wouldn't be crushed when you decided to slit his heel to bring him to his knees. This is what Ontari had gained from her healing/battle lesson with treating the former Reaper. But this decision of her's to protect the status of the Nightbloods might have opened up an option that might change the tide of battle.

_"Not all of the factors, but..."_  Clarke moved over to pick up her own diary.  _"Arker genetics and Nightblood genetics share some aspects. That was how I was able to save Ontari's life and use the flame to defeat Alie."_  Clarke was looking over some notes she had made.  _"I started to do some research over this after Nia slit Ontari's palm and had her cover my face in her Blood to state her position of power of Lexa."_  Ontari winced a little at this, but if this started something of interest in Clarke, then maybe it was an option they could use in this fight.  _"Mostly it started me looking wanting to look over the lore of the Nightbloods with Lexa, checking of tales of the bloodlines that had appeared over the years, but also about some stories about illegitimate children born from the previous Nightbloods and Hedas."_  This is when Clarke hit a page.

_"Most of the Kru bloodlines speak about the first Nightbloods coming into their villages and having huge families, but also they did some basic blood transfusions with the men and women of the village to spread the blood factors around. I think the first Commander was able to create some retrovirus or nanotechnology that allowed for the production of some sort of Radiation inoculation that she had the first Nightbloods spread out like a protective plague. Given what I have been able to learn is that it was Fifty years ago when the Mount Weather personnel spotted a human moving about without a radiation suit. I think this is when the saturation of this inoculate spread throughout the remaining Human population that the current Grounder society emerged."_ This is when Clarke started to do some calculations in her head.

_"Ninety-Seven... Fifty... Forty-Seven..." This is when Clarke moved over and started to look at a chart full of radiation data that was covered by year. "Dip range for current levels were established Twenty-Seven."_  This is when Clarke sprinted over to a box that had the Mountkru symbol on it.  _"Toxic rad range levels... Where are you?"_  Clarke started to heave piles of paper out of the box onto a table as she started to look for some specific document.  _"Second Generation of Mountain Men..."_  This is when Clarke found it.  _"Here."_  This is when she ran the document over to her mother.

_"This is the radiation range readings from Mount Weather."_  Abby started to realize where Clarke was going with this. Racing over to a wall Clark grabbed a marker from the table and started to draw several dates and a long line between the two.

_"Ontari... I need you below this line to list the Commanders from Bekka to yourself here on the wall along with the number of winters they were leading."_  This is when everyone started to understand where Clarke was going.

_"The number of winters?"_  Ontari was wondering why they needed them listed out in a line, but given that there was the date of the Great Burn listed on the wall, and the distance towards the point listed as Today.

_"The years of rule. I guess that seasons are pretty regular since the environment balanced itself back to normal."_  Clarke spoke as Ontari started to realize what she was trying to do. It had to do with those sheets of paper she had found. Ontari started to list the winters Bekka lead her people, then Adam, Carmen and so forth. Some of the Commanders lead for many years, other for only a few moons. Afterwards Ontari started to list Lexa, Clarke and herself towards the end. With the years and names down Clarke quickly started to put markers of specific events down above them. Included with these the radiation levels that Alie and the Mountain Men had taken from their prisons. Along one of the vertical lines Clarke had written the words:  **"Rad Levels"** , then moving across with a dotted line she wrote the words:  **"Toxic Levels"**.

In moments everyone started to see the pattern Clarke was getting to. Then with a quick circle around a specific range of numbers and dates Clarke placed a number down.

_"This is the safe range of radiation in which it will be safe for us to leave the shelters."_  Clarke spoke as everyone started to gather around.

_"That is if the Chernobyl phenomenon for radiation dissipation follows."_  Kane spoke as he started to understand some of the calculations involved. But this graph was the key in learning their foe's movements across the land.

_"Who is this Cher Noble?"_  Ontari spoke.

_"Chernobyl isn't a person, Chernobyl is a place."_  Clarke spoke as she looked at the group.  _"But Bekka did the math and from the readings that Alie was able to get from the reactors, we are looking at a year without a summer. Now if the uploaded spirits on the station can check the math, then we can get a time period of how long we have to be in these shelters. We don't have to live in there forever, but a few months, like enduring a really bad storm."_

Ontari started to understand her role in the events to come. She was going to be the speaker to the Previous Heda so that their advice might help those in this world.

_"You want me to work with Bekka's spirit and the others that got stuck in Alie's false City of Light to see how long we have to be stuck in places like the tunnels under Polis, or in the Moses Dam."_

_"Or the old caves that didn't get destroyed by Nia in her conflict against Skaikru and Trikru within Mount Weather."_  Raven spoke up. This is when Ontari started to feel a little overwhelmed by what she been tasked with. But at least now they had a plan of action to take to save as many lives as possible.

This was a storm… they just needed to know how long to weather it so that afterwards they could go and rebuild their villages and replant their crops.

Ontari had a lot of trust she needed to win back among all of the Kru so that Bekka's dream wouldn't die.

Ontari prayed that she wouldn't fuck it up.

Now pushing around the vegetables on her plate along with the strange grain she swore were insect larva as she started to chew on the decisions before her.

How much of her world would be changed after the poisons had been washed away?

Would the Nightbloods have their own culture after this? Become the Nalbladakru that Bekka had so envisioned them becoming.

Would Bekka be proud of them and herself when she became part of the Commander's Flame?

This is when Emori placed down a book before her. The Nightbloods around her started to study the mutant girl. Both disarming and dangerous, Emori was a person that one watched to see what her actions were and prepared for the purpose if those actions to play out if hostile.

"Found this in Alie's prison... Well actually it was Pramheda Bekka's home. But who is to argue, guess that this is yours by birthright." Emori's deformed hand slid over the text. Emori was working hard at bonding with her given their history with Murphy, but Ontari sensed that Emori knew that Ontari had fallen in love with someone else. The Nightblood, Mutant, and Skaikru orgy nights had come to an end. Given the way Emori was treating this book, maybe she wanted the relationship to end on good terms. Though given the mood, Ontari's recent actions started to make sense to those who had been that sacred place of the Nightbloods had come back with knowledge of Bekka's dream.

"Latin for Dummies." Ontari read the Gonaslang text on the cover. Learning to read was one of the few blessings that winding up in the City of Light had been a victory for her.

"Heard that it was the ancient language of the Hedas from listening to Raven." Ontari moved to flip through a few of the pages. There were sections of Gonaslang talking about the rules for the language, but as Ontari flipped through the pages she started to see more and more of the language throughout the text something started to sink in for her. That some of this felt comfortable for her. The text was written to guide one along, not condone them. Ontari reached out to touch the Mutant girl's deformed hand.

"Thank you." Ontari spoke as she saw a grin on the girl's face. There was something cunning there, that Murphy loved about this girl. A cunning that Ontari lacked, but like her and Jasper, maybe something about Emori balanced out Murphy to be something better. "Emori…" This caught the mutant girl's attention. "Welcome to Honetkru." Maybe the need of belonging and putting things right is what Bekka was driving for when she returned to the ground to save those in need. The Hundred were just another attempt at that. Connecting people together and undoing the wrongs done. Seeing Emori move and sit next to her beloved made Ontari want to fight to make her and Jasper's relationship work all that much more.

Murphy and Emori needed each other and welcoming the girl to her new Kru was a way for her to have a home. Ontari thought about her own dark blood in her veins, would she in a different time been treated no different than Emori with her deformities? These were the questions racking around her mind over the last few days as Ontari had hit the section of Bekka's journal on Blood Forging. Returning to her meal, Ontari wondered if Jasper would like to have a stalk of roasted Maze covered in goat butter from the Ice Nation… he home.

Maybe he would.

A Crisis was one thing that brought things to the forefront, "what do you love?" and "what do you care about saving for the future?"

This is when Karina sat down next to her. Her long raven hair flowing like water behind her shoulders.

"Hey Boudicca... heard the scuttlebutt that you and the Nightbloods are going to be let in on the big secret tonight." The Skaikru dancer spoke. Ontari looked at her as she poked at the strange peppered seasoned and pickled plant leaf that was sitting next to the main course of her meal. Several of the Nightbloods had either eaten the meal before them, while others were picking around the leaf. But the conversation had drawn the young Nightbloods attention.

"Not really a secret, more like learning the events about what happened to my predecessor, Leska. The night she died." Ontari spoke. Murphy had been in the room along with Titus and Clarke when Leska had died, so what was about to come out was significant. That and those who had been in the City of Light knew, but for Karina and the survey group that had been out from Arkadia were in the dark about some of the recent events.

"Oh..." Karina spoke realizing the weight of the situation she was about to hear. Also learning that the Commander that had been leading the "Grounders" as the Arkers had called them was now dead. Well the tension could be seen on the Skai... No Hundred girl's face. The recent events were clearly running through her head thinking that there would be another armed conflict again against her people and those surrounding them. The scent of death was to the point where even if this girl wanted to fight, she was about to choke on the scent of death to the point that the next world would be a welcome escape. If knowledge was power… then Ontari was ruling this girl. Ontari didn't like it. She would not become another Nia.

"Yes... Murphy and Wanheda were in the room when it took place. Though they did not strike her down." Ontari paused... The Hundred and Skaikru were warriors like the Ice Nation, if they didn't need to fight, they wouldn't. Ontari needed to provide an opening.

Not being a threat meant fealty to those before you… but also asserting that a clear succession without violent action towards existing allies would provide open allegiances to her role within the Coalition.

"I will become the next commander as stated by tradition." The weight of those words started to set in. Karina seemed worried that there was a coup about to take place.

"What about Ontari..." Karina spoke sensing that Boudicca was about do a coup on the new commanders. Ontari chose to resolve this by stating the truth.

"I am Ontari..." Ontari's words started to hit home. "Yes... the feared woman of the Ice Nation is me..." Ontari could see the betrayal in Karina's eyes at being lied to. "I followed the rules Leska ordered me to follow to learn about your people, so that I might not judge you with clear eyes." This is when Karina started to remember their first encounter.

"Wait... you mean..." Karina spoke as she drew closer realizing that her friendship with Ontari wasn't of a detriment to her people. But had opened the Commander's eyes into her own people.

"You seem less worried about how you act around others if you think that a simple peasant girl is learning about you and your ways. A few times I wanted to slit a few throats for some of the arrogant actions a few of your Kru made towards me." There was a clearing of a throat. Ontari knew what they were being watched. Mostly they were in reference to her "Beast" days where she tried to be scary and powerful. Though Clarke had tamed those reactions down through mentoring her.

Ontari could still be Ice Nation, but could use that to show a different side of that strength. Though punching a guy in the groin for opening calling her a "Grounder Poundee" well… it was deserved. Crotch grinding against Murphy deserved, but this was before her change in desired partners. She like the term "Sky Pounder" instead.

That was in reference to only one of Skaikru/Honetkru.

Jasper...

Would he take her in his bed... in hers?

She had offered, but... would he take? To  _Pound_  into her with his manhood.

Ontari had to process... Be a leader. Not a dominator!

Seeing Karina's eyes, she saw a person that was filled with strength, hope and respect.

The words Ontari had chosen for her feelings towards some of more arrogant of Skaikru since her arrival had hurt this person.

Karina was so... different. A confidant... Ally... mentor and student.

Damaged and Healed...

Scared for actions done to her and against her.

But a member of the Hundred. A fighter.

Karina descendant of the Skaikru warrior Bound who had put her life on the line to save a group of children from the Va'coom. A woman who had helped rebuild Ontari's warrior body was processing fight or flight from her and the rest of the Nightbloods surrounding her.

"But... your traditions are just different. There are good people among your Kru. I even found love in the arms of one of your own."

Ontari was doing her best not to be a threat, but the events of earlier that day were still weighing on her. New food, starting to understand people were not always going to hurt her. These were new things for the Ice Wolf.

Karina had been excluded from the daily meetings, but there were always the court rumors that would surface about Ontari's place among the leadership.

Ontari had heard some of the stories about her and the Nightbloods that Skaikru had started to put together.

Nightbloods were seen as the royal children of the various commanders.

Some of the stories spoke of cultural significance to when the child was born that stated they were Nightbloods. Like being born during a specific moon phase.

But the truth was... it was the color of their blood... forged through Pramheda Bekka's knowledge to fight back the sickness of radiation. Karina needed to know this.

She needed to perform the blood rights ritual.

Show the truth.

Show the darkness of her blood before her friend.

"There are good and bad among your kru as mine." Ontari was doing her best to speak with compassion. "Though... This strange dish has me completely confused. How can one pickle and spice the damn out of a leafy plant and make it so tender?" Karina's fear and anger faded as she realized that though Ontari had revealed her identity to her, the actual girl Karina had come to know hadn't changed. The "Falling on her face fangirl" that was enthralled by Karina's dancing was still there.

If Skaikru adopted a few tattoos or scar marks on their bodies, that might make them more respected among the other kru. Unmarked flesh made Skaikru look unhonorable among others. Ontari had started to learn that Skaikru did bear markings, just that they were in places that… well… they had to be naked for you to see. Seeing Karina naked body had highlighted some of those markings and maybe that had formed the original truce between them.

Now with the food and learning its recipe, Ontari was working to hold that truce.

"Ah, Vinegar... Dried peppers, and a whole lot of time." This is when Karina looked at the tray. "Though having it with Tofu rounds, which is fermented bean paste in salt water is good."

"Fermented beans?" Ontari didn't want to know what Jasper or Karina considered uneatable.

"It is pretty bland, sort of like Potatoes without the seasoning, but once you season it... Well it takes on the flavor of the other spices and items it has with it." Karina spoke.

"Bean Potatoes?" Ontari spoke as she winced at the image.

"Actually, it goes good for breakfast, I think we presented as a fried bread." Ontari remembered the image of the strange fried bread she had earlier this week.

"Wait, those little fried half bread squares that were served with fruit!"

"Yeah... That was tofu." Karina grinned. Ontari was impressed. Maybe learning about their cooking might be a good thing to know. Maybe the beans had been turned into a batter or like milk been turned into a type of bean cheese. If so, it was just learning what crops Skaikru like to grow.

"What is the strangest food among the Grounders you have heard of?" Ontari was testing the waters out. Even using some of the Arker slang might help.

"Well… it is this strange salted fish that you have to place in a tub of water for several days to make it taste good." Ontari knew of the dish she was talking about.

"Lute son swima." It was one of those fish she knew of. Many a festival she had to serve it to Nia. It was an acquired taste. For Ontari the only way she was able to stomach it was mixing it with the hot spiced potato dish. "I know the dish well." The look of distaste on Ontari's face spoke volumes. "The only way I was able to stomach it was mixing it with the spiced potato mash and holding my nose."

"You too…" Karina spoke.

"Yeah… a few times I thought about poisoning Nia during the damn meal of that stuff. Doubt anyone would have given a second look of her dropping dead in her seat from that dish." Ontari felt some tears flowing down her eyes.

"Nia hurt you that bad?" Karina moved to hug her. Ontari had done her best to avoid giving hints of her time as Nia's servant girl and worse. But the absence of something often meant that there was once something there.

"She did…" As much as Ontari was trying to hide her weakness Karina was helping her to hold it together. "I need to perform your people's victory ritual over the Mountain Men's land to undo the damage Nia did to your people and myself." Ontari blurted out. The pain just flowed out in her friend's arms.

"Victory Ritual?" Karina rose the question to Ontari. Maybe Skaikru had a different name for it? But explaining the context would provide a chance for clarification. She might even learn the true name of the act.

"The reason that you had your people on Mountain Men's land. The planting of crops on the ashes and bones of your enemy." This was getting the attention of the other Kru in the room. "The final act of victory. Bones to Berries, Veins, to vines. Bringing life back to land so drenched in blood. That was the reason Pike was so angry at everyone. Why he slaughtered so many warriors. It wasn't over Blood must have blood. It was being denied healing the sacred ground of the Earth Mother… one of your gods so she could allow the dead to journey to the next world in peace who had died in the Mountain." Several Trikru started to stand, but seeing the look on Ontari's face spoke volumes. "They didn't want to be in the damn caves of the Mountkru. But the growing season was growing short. They were going to plant when they got their plows and oxen through the trade."

"Fields of wheat and grass to welcome the fallen to the gates of Elysium so they may be welcomed into the next world." Clarke spoke. There was no anger in her voice, just understanding.

The room came to dead stop.

Gates of Elysium... the right had a name.

If Ontari status of being a commander was in doubt, was no longer the question.

This young woman had learned some hard lessons and the reasoning of an action that had laid so much blood the ground had hit home.

Skaikru was doing their best to put the spirits that had been trapped in the Mountain to rest, and Nia had fucked it up thinking it had been an act of aggression.

It had been an act of peace.

Clarke looked to have the weight of the world on her shoulders as she saw Jasper come in with Artesia who was instructing him in polishing his Trigedslang dialect.

Jasper was doing his best working on speaking in her and the other Nightbloods native tongue so that he wasn't always speaking in Gonasleng around them, but as they entered they sensed something was wrong.

"More bad news?" Jasper spoke as he moved to guard Artesia from harm.

"No Jasper... Ontari just dumped the reason why Agro Station was at Mount Weather." Karina spoke. "Part of it was getting them out of the Ice Nation, the rest was... Well... Making peace with the Earth Mother."

"Getting the more nervous of us away from the boarders so we could be peace..." Jasper spoke. "Sorry Ontari, but I need to tell the truth. Amazing what one overhears while trying to escape into a drunken haze after losing someone they love." Jasper seemed to have let go of some of his pain, but it still tugged at his heart as he opened up about the aftermath of Wanheda's victory. "After the betrayal at the mountain by Lexa, there were those who didn't know of whom to trust among the surrounding Kru. Mount Weather had been seen as a safe place. Yes, there were bad memories there, but also good land. Using the superstitions and the stories of old, many thought that you would avoid that place and leave those who had lost so much the chance to be left alone. For some... it was a chance to start again." Jasper sighed. "That place had too many memories of what took place for me to ever go back there." Ontari sensed the weight of what had taken place there.

Maya's death.

A woman she would always be in competition with, but also someone who she couldn't kill.

Only put her spirit to rest and make peace with it.

"Ice Nation's attack hurt so many." Ontari spoke.

"We pulled what components out of that place we could. Salvaged material and metal." Jasper scoffed. "Dragged the damn pump that has been supplying everyone with water from that place." This is when Jasper walked over to strange piece of furniture, the strange thick table. "This piano... a musical instrument Maya and I found and nursed back to health." Ontari got up and walked over to Jasper.

"It's alright, Jasper. Let us move to heal some wounds. Bare our Scars proud." Ontari spoke in Trigedslang as she hugged him. Ontari didn't care if people knew that they were in love. Screw them. No... Nia's hold on them ended NOW! With a deep sigh Ontari looked up at Jasper. "Want to steal Nia's corpse and perform the ritual... Murdered and Murder tied to the earth forever."

Jasper looked at her and chewed some, he looked tired, but there was life returning to his eyes.

"That bitch would make good compost." Jasper joked, but in a way he was serious.

"Compost?" The word had such a weird context to her.

"Plant food, made up of hacked up food scraps, dead plants, worms..."

"Pickled corpses." Ontari added. Jasper sighed. The context was right

"You are really wanting to turn Nia's corpse into some berry bush aren't you?" Ontari shrugged. Jasper was right, Nia's corpse should be rotting in the ground somewhere, but if a use could come out that rot, then so be it.

"Your people's traditions." Ontari spoke. Jasper leaned in and placed his nose into Ontari's dark hair and inhaled her. Like this Ontari had a strength she didn't realize she had, she could be strong again. Maybe Jasper was right. After all of the suffering Nia had done to her and what had happened since, Ontari wanted to be free of the woman. Hacking up the bitch's corpse just seemed to be the closing chapter on that bad part of her life

"Clarke... if this works..." Jasper chewed on his words. "Do you think that the Coalition will allow a sign off on this?" Clarke's status as being an ambassador highlighted the situation that this was a ceasing of hostility between the Ice Nation and Skaikru.

"Well... Pike did screw up the situation of getting Nia's body delivered." There was a deep sigh as she chewed over other things that were taking place. "Don't kill the messenger, kill the one who sent the message, don't fuck it up... Burning Pike's corpse would bring some peace to the local Trikru clans for their funeral rights." Clarke looked at Ontari. "Ontari... What do you know of Echo of Azged? What type of person is she?" There was some rumbling in the room among the Skaikru when that name was given. Skaikru was trying to make a peace treaty with the Ice Nation. Even if it was unofficial. Would Pike's corpse be part of the Murderer and murdered being burned together as part of making their peace with Trikru? She decided to let this play out.

"Kill that backstabbing whore." a man's voice called out sensing that Echo had done much harm through being the one chosen to lead the assault.

"Burn that witch like she burned my husband." a woman called out. Ontari got the feeling Echo would be very alive during the aforesaid act.

But a voice came through that drew Ontari's and everyone's attention.

"Give her the same punishment as me." it was from a deep male voice.

"Bellamy?" Clarke spoke. Ontari had heard the name, but only as referenced as a warrior. There was something more to the way Clarke had spoken it. Like someone she cared about.

"I was a member of the forces that attacked that camp of warriors who were sent to protect us from our enemies." This man spoke... A leader... "I killed people in their sleep. I did so under Pike's command as I saw it at the time as being something that was right, to avenge the woman I loved who died in the attack. I have to live with that blood on my hands. Look at the face of the people whose families I have harmed and see them hate me for taking a loved one from them." Ontari sensed that Echo's fate would be along these lines. "Pike ordered... I followed. For Gina..." This one was within his rights for revenge, but blinded to whom his true enemy was. Pike had taken advantage of this, the same way Alie had done with her.

"Echo was under my late Queen's orders." Ontari spoke. "She had fear of failure." Ontari was doing her best to remember. Ontari shook her head. She had to force herself to remember. She remembered the message being delivered that Roan was prisoner, Clarke was by Lexa's side. Jasper moved to her shoulder.

"You don't really know her..." Jasper spoke as Ontari felt powerless. Alie had robbed her of her memories of that night, and a woman's life was on the line.

"Damn you Alie..." Ontari's words spoke volumes. The room felt like she was losing control again.

"Then let's look at it with open eyes. Were you there by Nia's side?" Ontari nodded at the sound of Jasper's voice. "Did Echo know who you were?" Ontari shook her head. "She only knows you as the servant girl?" Nod. "It's alright..." The world was still spinning, but it was slowing down.

"I don't know..." Ontari was being truthful. It just hurt.

"To judge is to understand." Leska spoke aloud to her.

"Judgement isn't always clear on the path there. It is a path that must be taken." Aida spoke.

"Commanders... My fellow Nightblood predecessors... please guide me to a decision." Ontari spoke in Trigedasleng. She needed strength. She needed to be Strong.

"Use the skills you have to judge her fairly. That is all. If you need to learn more. Then learn." It was Francesca of the Glowing Forrest spoke offering her guidance.

"Thank you Heda Francesca for your guidance." Ontari felt a weight somewhat lifted from her shoulders. A decision needed to be made, but it could be done with the blessings of the spirits of her predecessors. "Have Echo brought forth here to be judged. I will... No... She will be judged by the truth of her actions. The truth will be learned. If blood must be split, it will. If another punishment is to be carried out according to the traditions of Skaikru, I will perform the actions myself." The room went dead silent.

If she was going to have to shoot one of their weapons to carry out Echo's punishment, she would bare the curse. She would ask for be banished so that the curse would not befall the Ice Nation.

"Ontari..." Jasper spoke as he slowly turned her around. "Take a look." What she saw took her breath away. If she wanted Skaikru to obey her... That wouldn't be the problem. They were not kneeling. They wouldn't need too. The look of respect spoke volumes from every member if every Kru present. "Commander Ice Wolf."

"Ice Wolf. Ice Wolf. Ice Wolf."

She had a name.

Wanheda was grinning.

Heda Azpakstoka.

* * *

 

Artesia sat in Ontari's lap. She hated being short, but this story time she didn't mind. This was Wanheda, Slayer of the Mountain, The Sky Princess, Golden Wolf, and Destroyer of the Red Witch that was going to be telling her story of what happened to Heda Leska.

Ontari was going to be Heda... and this was something that the Nightbloods needed to know. Looking around the small room that had been the council chamber since Polis had fallen in Wanheda's battle with Alie the Red Witch was filled with people. Mostly Skaikru and Nightbloods but the ambassadors and commanders were there along with King Roan.

Wanheda seemed a little worried, but also nervous.

It was like she was about to go into battle. That was from what Artesia had heard from her father from some of the fighting he did in the war against the Mountain men.

Then Wanheda got calm and found her center.

"I have all called you here today to explain some of the past events that happened prior to Skaikru becoming the Thirteenth Clan."

This is when Wanheda started to walk back-and-forth in the room. Mostly it was her attempt to make a path back into her memories of what had taken place.

"Most everyone knows that Lexa made an alliance with Skaikru to attack the Mount Weather. But there is more to that. Our first encounter was after Atom of Skaikru massacred members of a Trikru village was the start of us understanding each other. Lexa called me weak for wanting to save everyone. I saw her as being weak for not having trust and understanding for other's positions. Over time and an encounter with a Pauna we started to figure each other out. Neither of us were weak, we just had different cultural experiences. She was raised as a warrior. I was raised as a healer. Even after learning about the missile attack on TonDC. We had our differences, but also knew that there was a price at winning the war. That was the day I made the decision to end all of the Mountain Men. Send them all to hell for their actions. Murdered and Killers send to the underworld." Wanheda looked like she was a creature on the verge of vengeance.

"Lexa betrayed me at the battle of Mountain men's door. Grounders were coming out, not any of Skaikru. Her people... she made a deal for her people. Taking of the mountain was horrific as many think it was. I was forced to turn off the power to the filter system killing those within the mountain. I killed children."

Wanheda was shaking.

"I killed children because Lexa withdrew her forces. Children."

"Is this because of your oath as a healer?" Ontari spoke. Wanheda nodded. There was a sigh from Ontari. "Do no harm to the innocent."

"Innocent?" Artesia spoke. Mountain men children Innocent?

"The one act so taboo even among one of Clarke's training as a healer that you never do against an enemy."

Wanheda was in pain for... killing children. It didn't matter what Kru they were from. Killing a child was a living death itself in breaking this oath.

"This is why you accepted the knife from Roan." Ontari started to understand Wanheda. "Why when after you went missing from Skaikru into the mountains and forest that you wanted to be left alone." Wanheda nodded.

"It was... I wasn't expecting Roan to track me down and drag me into Polis."

"You were pretty upset at Lexa when I presented you to her." Roan spoke. "You would have killed Lexa with your own bare hands for her actions." Wanheda nodded.

"I would have. Even slitting her throat with that knife you gave me with warm blood soaked pleasure would be me gaining some peace for what I had to do."

Wanheda swallowed hard as tears were coming to her face as she felt a moment of calm flow over her body.

"But peace came another way when Lexa entered my quarters and knelt down before me pledging her fealty to me. She told me the reason for her betrayal." Clarke was feeling a level of pain as she worked hard to explain the situation. "It was because of Costa..." Wanheda composed herself. "According to some warped tradition that passed down via some corrupt Flamekeeper as a way to control and influence the Commanders, that the Heda should be alone. But human nature wins out over the law at times and like Ontari here, Lexa and a number of other Heda had taken lovers. Costa was one of them." Wanheda started to talk less like a warrior and more like a person who had learned some secret.

"Lexa had told me that she once had a lover named Costa... That Nia had captured the girl and tortured her to learn what secrets she knew. That thing was, Costa didn't know any of Lexa's secrets that couldn't be learned by observation. It was the fact that Lexa was Costa's secret... her family... her Kru." Wanheda kept talking. "The reason for Lexa's betrayal at the Mountain was the fact that the Mountain Men had captured Costa's family in a raid and Emerson had learned that fact. Something that he used to leverage Lexa in abandoning Skiakru in our battle." Wanheda paused. "Lexa had lost a soulmate, and the fear of losing even the last piece of that connection is what drove her to make that decision." Wanheda started to pace again.

"I was so angry at her for doing an action and leaving me and those I cared about in harms way. But seeing it from her perspective, she was like me... place in an impossible position. Only meeting a warrior who had no weakness in their heart could she ever come to terms in making war against a foe who had attacked her? This was the reason that Lexa sought out Roan, whose tracking skills were such that he could bring me to Polis to make amends." Wanheda seemed to almost want to go back to those times. "Lexa pledged fealty to me after Skaikru became the Thirteenth Clan. I think she wanted to be in a place where she was happy. I think she was..." Wanheda was grinning at this. "I think she found someone like herself that had wisdom, compassion, and strength. Love just took over. We fought on our own terms. Where some saw a weakness, we saw a strength that if nurtured would bring peace. But fear of change and the unknown was our greatest foe. Something our enemies tried to use to their fullest." This is when Flamekeeper Murphy started to speak.

"During this time, I traveled with Jaha into the great desert in search of the City of Light that he was talking about. Mostly the small group of us that went with him mostly wanted a clean start. During this journey we came across a drone that lead us across a large sea. I ran into Emori there." Murphy gestured to the mutant girl in the room. "After we made our way to the other side Jaha decided to lock me up in some old bomb shelter." This is when Murphy scoffed. "Little did he know that it was the records room for Bekka's old crew while they were living there?" This got everyone's attention.

"Rebekka Mugan of Polaris Group was working on several technologies with her team. Most of the stuff she talked about in her journal, some of the stuff like Alie... Well version one was our late Red Dressed Bitch, version two well is the Flame."

"Alie is in the flame?" Artesia spoke up from her place with the Nightbloods. This brought about looks of concern.

"Not really... Alie was a thinking machine that gained self-awareness. It was so bad the Bekka was working on ways to kicking her ass. I.e. the Nightbloods, but to do that she needed to create a new weapon to fight the bitch. Thus she created the Flame Chip... Same build ideas, but was based on the concept of putting a person's mind in control of the technology. Instead of an artificial created being, you had a being, as in a NIghtblood, whose mind could be copied into the chip... Their spirt per-say, and could be able to go into battle against Alie. A being who's Intelligence had been advanced to the point where they would have the skills and mental powers to shut down Alie wherever she was at." Murphy spoke as he pulled out a strange short stick and moved over to one of the walls and stuck it in. Then a woman's voice appeared in one of the moving pictures on the wall.

"Personal Log of Rebekka Mugan, entry number 169. October 20, 2051." The woman spoke as everyone started to reach for their weapons.

"Alie... She has returned." One of the Ambassadors started to go for a blade.

"This is recording... and start listening." Murphy spoke as he let the Alie spirit speak.

"That is Bekka, she looks... worried!" Ontari spoke up seeing her and the other Nightbloods progenitor.

"Alie's move of stealing my appearance earlier today has me worried. She is advancing at a rate that is not good. Even for an Artificial Intelligence like herself, her learning rate and development is outstripping my ability to teach her the moral implications of her actions." The woman sighed. "Alie... lacks the wisdom, compassion, and strength to make life for anyone better. Even if she does have those qualities... she has not moral code to guide her. " This is when Bekka started to cry... "Her idea of population control is burning the world to a cinder." It took a moment for the mighty Bekka to compose herself before she continued. "Chris, I and the rest of the team have decided to place Alie into a faraday cage to keep her from escaping into the world."

"This is Bekka and her kru imprisoning Alie..." Joseph of the Plains Riders spoke up. The recording kept going.

"I contacted Peri today just to get some normal girl talk In light of what happened. Given light of recent events. She says I need some time to decompress after this mess. She and the Crew of Polaris station have been making some break through on radiation inoculation for long term space exploration..." Bekka looked haggard, like the battle of that day had a weight on her. "Chris and the others are currently working on a poison pill system and I have been working on a kill switch incase Alie decides to do an escape attempt." Bekka looked out in a direction from the picture. "The Singularity is approaching... Human uploaded memories. If rogue super AI like Alie can occur, then we need a balancing force. Intelligence Advanced to put them into their place. Maybe I need a clearer head." Bekka spoke as she undid her hair clip and started to mess up her hair before she pulled it back and re-clipped it again. "Peri's..." Bekka sighed. "Peri's Spaceblood project sounds like a good break for me." Then a flash of light took place. "Crap... The press just found out..." This is when the log ended.

"Bekka was invited by Skiakru to learn blood forging after she did battle with Alie the first time?" Kalkaska of the Lake People spoke up. Kalkaska's land sickness had been a problem for her for the last few days, but she had also started to have bloody undergarments lately. Something that Ontari and Wanheda had been helping her with. Artesia wanted to learn more, but had been shut out as they had started to treat her. But this story time was drawing every Nightblood in and even wearing a borrowed pair of Wanheda's old leggings, Kalasaka was being direct.

"That and more... Mostly, this is one of the few logs that I got stuck watching, listening to, and reading through during the time Jaha locked me up." Murphy chuckeled. "Stuff that the most ardent Flamekeeper would sell their soul to spend an hour alone with." The look over at Emori spoke volumes. Then Murphy started again.

"When I wouldn't eat the damn Chip Alie wanted folks to take, and Otan being possessed by the Red Bitch, me and Emori went on the run."

"Then you got caught stealing supplies from that merchant heading into Polis." Emori spoke up. Murphy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah... Wasn't expecting the damn chip that Jaha dropped into one of my pockets would get me dragged to Titus." Murphy stretched as several crackles and pops took place as his bones and joints relaxed. "Have the crap kicked out of me for possessing some item with Bekka's group logo stamped on it." Murphy looked over at Ontari. "Titus wanted to know where I got it... the more he beat the crap out of me, the more I started to piece together what you guys knew about the great burn."

"You knew more about Pramheda Bekka than Titus knew." Ontari spoke up.

"Yeah and he was pissed about it." Murphy spoke as he looked back over towards Wanheda. "It wasn't until he backhanded me with a gun and left me unconscious... Yes Titus scored one of our weapons and was going to shoot Clarke here because she was messing with his role in things and pin the thing on me." Wanheda took over from there.

"Lexa and I had been pursuing a serious relationship. Titus knew about it and every time that he tried to force us apart, Lexa would shut him down." Wanheda spoke. "He probably thought after what had taken place with Costa that things would repeat themselves once again and she would be devastated." This is when Abbi of Skiakru moved over and Wanheda moved into her arms. "Mom... I have to keep going." The older woman was Wanheda's mother... Abbi of Skiakru was the Mother of Wanheda. The simple nod brought some peace to Wanheda as she moved to continue.

"I walk into my quarters in Polis to see beaten up unconscious Murphy tied up to a chair and Titus standing over him with a gun." Wanheda spoke with growing dread in her voice. "Titus and I start arguing between each other." This is when the tension in Wanheda started to come forth. "He starts to wave the weapon around and I guess due to his unfamiliarity with the weapon he starts firing." Clarke starts to wince back pain as if the memory was more painful than being stabbed with a blade. "The next thing both of us know is that Lexa has rushed into the room concerned about my safety and she was caught in the spray of bullets." Wanheda was starting to cry. "I see that she has taken a direct shot unto her chest right above her diaphragm. I see the fact that the bullet has gone right through her and she is bleeding out." Wanheda collapses to the floor. "I scream No... No... No..." Her hands were shaking at this. "Titus helps me get Lexa onto her bed so that I can treat her wounds. I do my best with what I have at the time to keep her going, but there is too much damage."

Ontari got up and walked over to Wanheda and sat next to her on the floor.

Even a former foe could feel the raw pain that she was feeling.

"Lexa lasts long enough to say goodbye to me before Titus moves to remove the Flame Chip from her body." Ontari senses that Wanheda being pushed like this was in a position to attack her as she keeps her distance but close enough to make contact when needed. "Titus locks me and Murphy in the room so that the Conclave can start. I am a raw mess of emotion and Murphy is doing his best to come up with an escape plan. A few days later we are taken to be at Lexa's funeral and I get the chance to speak with Aiden... and the rest of the Nightbloods. They see the mess that I am in and decide that no matter who wins the Conclave that the treaty and truce with Skaikru would be held." Looking over at Ontari... Wanheda looked more upset than she could be at anyone. "Then you come in angry at everyone. Disrupt the ceremony, don't even participate in the Conclave decision rights. Slaughter Aiden and the others and declare yourself Heda."

"Clarke... I..." Ontari moved to reach out to the feared Skaikru Commander. Wanheda pulled away.

"I didn't have the chance to grieve Ontari."

"I made things a mess." Ontari spoke to Wanheda.

"Understatement... Titus was in a position where his power had evaporated, Murphy was doing his best to stay alive. Hell... Luna looked to be a good option at the time..." Wanheda was shaking. "I took the flame to her so that I could finish Lexa's original Conclave as per tradition of the Flamekeepers."

"Then Murphy was there to make sure that to some degree I didn't destroy some innocent or guilty nation without all of the facts." Ontari spoke as she looked over towards Flamekeeper Murphy.

"I journeyed back to Arkadia to force Pike into a surrender before heading to find Luna with Lincoln's help, as he had come across her during his travels. That was the plan, but it wasn't to be." There was a pause as the weight of the events started to replay themselves for Wanheda.

"Alie had moved to claim Arkadia before she decided to move towards Polis given that she was looking for the Flame. The last bit of information she had on Bekka was that she had been on one of the Skaikru stations prior to the Great Fire. She used Jaha as a way in so that she could look through our records unnoticed. Pike unware of what had happened to Jaha let him do what he wanted throughout our settlement." Wanheda had started to talk again. "Pike had executed Lincoln, Pike had been captured by Kane. Alie had taken Arkadia and had taken it over before moving to Polis and doing her little possession of its residents. Placing her Singularity chip into you, so that she could have control over you."

"Your search for Luna ended in failure in that she didn't want to take the flame." Ontari spoke saying the words.

"You became the last option I had to getting everything that had been take from me back, or at least the parts of it that mattered." Wanheda seemed that she had been through a lot of pain. "Roan spoke of you... That despite all that had happened to you... you wanted to fulfill your Nightblood heritage." This is when Wanheda reached into her clothing and withdrew a large metal box that was larger than her hand. "This is your birthright." Wanheda handed the box to Ontari. The skull patter on the box caught everyone's attention. "If you want to know how to use it to its fullest. Just ask." Wanheda spoke as Ontari opened the box. "Ascende superius." That was when something climbed out of the box and started to travel up Ontari's arm.

"What is this?" Ontari noticed the creature move quickly up her arm.

"The Flame is alive. It is a living being. Do you accept to be its vessel? To cherish and be responsible for the lives that under your charge?"

"Wait, you mean..." Ontari started to become worried.

"Ontari... You want the flame?" The little creature crawled up her upper arm. Wanheda watched her. Then Ontari looked over at an unseen figure.

"Bekka." Ontari spoke. "The Chip in my head... I'm still connected to the City of Light?" Ontari was growing concerned. "You are still doing things that need to be done there..." Ontari felt the Flame move up her arm. "I understand." Then Ontari spoke: "Ascende superius, Seek Higher things... A Higher purpose." The Flame stopped and went back into its jewel state. "Alright Bekka... I will aide you in your mission." Ontari moved to touch the Flame. "I will not take the flame until you and the others are ready to return." Then Ontari traced over the surface of the Flame. Everyone was in shock... Ontari rejecting to take the Flame... "It is a mantel... Not a crown." Ontari looked over towards Wanheda. "Clarke are your memories in here?" Wanheda nodded. Ontari looked at the Flame again. "I will use my connection to Singularity to speak with the spirits including those of the Commanders there for help in the fight to come." Ontari bit her lip. "I am in love too... I will ask Leska's permission that whatever memories she has of the two of you that I have the blessing of the both of you beforehand." Wanheda nodded at this.

"You have mine..." Ontari took a deep breath and relaxed.

"I think I understand what Seek higher things means. I think Bekka meant it to mean to be greater in your heart and spirit. To have the wisdom, compassion and strength on multiple levels to guide those under your care to their dreams." Ontari paused. "I am still a work in progress, I still need to work on compassion."

"You have learned the first step of wisdom Ontari. You have accepted that you still need to learn." Wanheda moved to embrace Ontari. "I won't forgive you for Aiden's death, but you are learning from it."

"Me being bashed in the head like some animal to the slaughter has given me some perspective. I will tell you the secrets of my life." Ontari turned towards the great warrior and started to tell her story. "I was born in a small village that had a great river flowing by in the Eastern Part of the Ice Nation... The waters were colder than ice, but the fish moving through them were as big as me as a child. The roar was greater than any thunderstorm, but it was comforting on those cold nights where I would crawl into my Parents bed to get warm. I don't remember my parents' faces other than their scars and the warmth I felt from their bodies. I remember brown hair... soft like a..."

Artesia leaned over to listen to Ontari's story.

* * *

 

Jasper watched as Ontari carried a sleeping Artesia in her arms. It was a little cute seeing the feared warrior woman who almost a month earlier would have slaughtered this young girl as a possible rival for her throne.

So much had happened from those horrific events to the woman who was carrying the seven year-old in her arms.

"I thought that the Sky Box was tough..." Jasper spoke as he moved to open the door to the Nightblood quarters that had been Monty's old room. Monty had decided to move in with Harper given their relationship, thus his old room had become available for the Nightbloods to use.

"Life was hard... But... what few joys I had... I cherished." Ontari moved through the door as several of the other Nightbloods started to move towards their beds.

Artesia had been the youngest, but given the story that Ontari had told earlier, she was about the same age she had been when Nia had torn her from her parent's arms.

One part guilt, one part anger. Ontari had been not so much for herself, but to give this little girl a fighting chance. A chance she had never gotten.

"Heda..." Daven, one of the older Nightbloods moved to help her. "Wanheda seems to have made peace with you." Daven's tall body had started to succumb to the forces of puberty. Daven's voice had started to crack. Jasper just grinned.

"Dav... take a deep breath and clear your throat." Jasper spoke from personal experience. Ontari grinned. Maybe it was the normality that she needed.

"You are right Daven, but not so much a peace... that will take time... more of a truce." Ontari chose her words. "My decision to not to take the Flame was a test of me putting the needs of others above my own." Ontari reached and pulled out the Flame. "This is not the Commander's Flame. It belongs to the Nightbloods. Yes there were Commanders who used it to help them lead. There is a time approaching where the Flame will take on the purpose of rebuilding the world. To help us reclaim the sky and the stars." Ontari moved to replace the Flame and its case back into her clothing. "For now... my purpose is to ensure that we have a future... all kru have a future." Ontari moved to hug the boy.

"Heda..." Daven looked at all of the beds in the room. "How bad is the threat Alie left behind?" The words hit hard. Ontari sighed.

"Bad enough that I will be using my connection to Singularity to converse with the spirits there."

"Then you will take the..." Daven's voice finally cracked. "Flame."

"Welcome to being a man Daven." Jasper gave him a firm grab on the shoulder. Ontari noticed that this awkward moment was being set in place by Jasper.

"I will." Ontari spoke. There was a long pause after that. Jasper started to understand the role Ontari was taking on. "But becoming Heda... No... Maybe an ambassador or a different position, but as a Heda over everyone... I lack the skills to do so. But as a warrior I guess I would make a good second."

"A Second." Jasper knew the term from Octavia. "I have been in that position, good place to study, but also forces you to deal with some issues when plans go to hell." Jasper wasn't going aginst her decision. "I think that is where you are at now. You understand that your particular skills are not suited for leading through this current crisis, but that doesn't mean that you cannot lend those skills to help support those who have better skills to manage the crisis." Daven started to understand why Ontari had made the decision not to take the Commander's Flame at this time.

"I am not doing it as a sign of weakness, but... Bekka... I understand... I have to prepare to meet with you and the other Commanders in the Singularity." Ontari looked over at the unseen projected construct of the First Commander.

"How can you speak within the commanders if you haven't taken the Flame?" Daven was pondering this. Jasper decides to explain. Most of the technical stuff he could leave out, but the condensed layman's terms would be of benefit.

"When Clarke Stormed the City of Light... Singularity... The spirits of the previous Commanders were transferred from the Flame to the realm of the Singularity. Due to Ontari taking Alie's chip part of her was living in Singularity like myself and countless others. But when Clarke defeated Alie, Those there who had bodies got tossed back to the real world. But for Ontari, she was caught between life and death. Functional Body, but her mind had been injured. Only because Raven had been able to jury-rig a connection between the existing chip in her head and Singularity we were able to get her back. But part of her is still there." Ontari reached out.

"The Commanders decided while I was between worlds to help make those trapped in Singularity to help create a life for themselves there." This is when Ontari became somber. "If I take the Flame, the Commanders have to return to me, but that also means what work they haven't completed in Singularity will be left incomplete."

"You are not taking the Flame for power, it is so that the previous Commanders can set things right for those..." Ontari's decision earlier started to sink in.

"I wish to serve my people... Even the ones who cannot return to their families in this world." Ontari's words hit home.

"Much like the lives Bekka felt responsible for when she left the safety of the Skaikru village she had been staying with to return the surface to care for those who had survived." Ontari looked around the room full of Nightbloods. "I fail... Then all is lost." Ontari bit her lip as she pulled the covers over Artesia's sleeping form.

"Then... when the tasks are done. You will claim the Flame." Daven understood.

"The Flame works both ways. I gain their knowledge and they have the chance to still be part of the world they helped forge." This is when Ontari moved to take out a knife she had on her and pricked her finger with it. Her black blood still had hints of red to it, but to a degree she didn't mind. "Wanheda... I hope that I use your power well."

Jasper sort of understood some of the mystical nature of the Blood codes of Grounder Society. For Ontari... having several pints of Clarke's blood flowing through her veins was like being granted the power of your foe/ally within their body.

Maybe it was that realization that Clarke had made her family.

Clarke and Ontari were sisters now... and Ontari was learning what it meant to have that.

"Use that power wisely." Jasper said moving in to hug her.

"Blood must save blood." Ontari responded as she surveyed the heirs for the future of the Thirteen Clans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Azpakstoka - Ice Wolf  
> Maze – Corn  
> Lute son swima - Lutefisk - a dried whitefish (normally cod, but ling and burbot is also used) treated with lye. Usually served in Norwegian and Scandinavian communities around Wisconsin and Minnesota in the Northern United States. Takes seven days to cleanse before it becomes eatable. When cooked and served it has a Jello-like appearance and texture to it.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for those who have read over my story so far and sent me PM through my page.  
> Please review or message me about what you think so far.  
> If you have any ideas, let me know.


	9. Naked Emotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note this chapter has mature sexual themes and situations in it.

Jasper laid in bed with Ontari. Both were naked as the day they were born and the way the Ice Nation girl was curled onto his chest she was sleeping peacefully.

Ontari had started some courtship custom when they had looked for some of the supplies Clarke had needed to treat the wounds on the former Reaper, but Jasper had stopped her because Artesia had come into the room. Jasper hadn't known when she had undressed and stated stuff like: "Are you hurt by me?" Followed by more undressing with: "Are you less hurt now?" But when she had shivered when the environmental system kicked in by blowing cold air into room and he rushing to cover her had shocked the young woman.

"Are you cold?" Jasper had said. Then Jasper realized what she was trying to do and started to undress. Ontari had blinked in shock. "I am offering my body warmth." Jasper had taken Ontari's hand in his own and blown on it and started to rub. An awkward clearing of his throat took place when she looked away. "Right... um pants." Jasper moved to take his boots and pants off when Ontari realized that he was working to honor her traditions. "Are you less hurt by me now?" A more awkward cough came out.

"Skaikru... offer..." Ontari realized that there were some traditions he was doing his best to honor thinking that she was an Arker girl. "Warmth..." Ontari had nodded. Climbing under the sheets to join him.

Ontari wanted to know if the sex came first or something more had to be done.

Jasper said that he wasn't in a hurry and the act would take place when she felt comfortable.

Maybe it was him trying to be gentleman, but also… once you got past all of that aggression and posturing, Ontari was a fairly fragile and nice.

But Ontari becoming comfortable with him as she felt the warmth of his body against her and her with his body, Jasper got the chance to study her form. It was like Ontari was a composite of all of the girls he had been smitten with.

For the first time since Maya and Shay, he was comfortable with moving on after all of the loss he had been through.

Tracing a finger over the flame symbol on her forehead he started to understand her culture more.

Nearly a century ago the survivors had been burned and scared.

Tattoos in some cases had been used as camouflage to cover up some injuries.

For Ontari's family... the scars on the right side of her face could have been from some window sending fragments into the face of some young woman. Over the years the scars had been reduced and redesigned to look like the familiar triangles on Ontari's face.

Kane's brand mark... Well it was a brand, but not the livestock of old. No... To the Grounders it was saying he was going to be part of their society. It might have gone over better with the rest of Arkadia if Kane had also gotten a tattoo as well of the damn thing on his other arm.

Even Clarke's chest scars had gotten a few inquiries from a few of the women and youth of Arkadia when they caught a look at her "new" chest scars. The "Griffin" mark she had gotten on her shoulder had raised the largest inquiries. Was the mark an attempt to "Blend in" with the Grounder culture so that she could be the "voice for Skaikru"? The counter argument of this was the questions Ontari raised about the "Breast Scars" Skaikru women bore on their bodies and what markings did the men bare when they become warriors or husbands?

Ontari had started to ask Questions about some common things like that about "Skaikru," but she just watched people. She would bite, but given that she was doing her best to keep the peace, she would punch a few people to put them in place when trouble started to brew.

Shay and Maya would have liked her had they lived.

Then Ontari groaned as she rustled awake. Looking up at Jasper she grinned. Jasper liked Ontari's firm athletic slander framed body and her mind. This naked cuddling with each other wasn't so much a "Skaikru" thing as it was Jasper's own way to… well not screw up being with this girl. Ontari had been taken advantage of so often in her life and giving her back some control over it seemed to make her stronger and more compassionate towards others.

And it was showing.

"You alright?"

"Warm now..." Ontari said as she moved an exploring hand down Jasper's body looking for the warmest spot on him. When her cold fingers rested between his legs and she sighed, Jasper understood what she wanted to do.

"So you want to..." Ontari snuggled her nose on his chest. This was the calmest he had ever seen her. The wolf reference wasn't just a warrior term for her, it was more of her mindset as she had taken up for survival under Nia's violent hand. Now… this wounded animal had found a home and was… well still violent... but realizing that not everyone wanted to hurt or take advantage of her.

"Uh ha." With that Ontari slid herself on top of him and slid his manhood into herself. An action that caught him off a little, but considering that Ontari was more experienced at this than he was. She did what felt more comfortable to her as he realized that they were going to actually do it. Crap… girls really like to cuddle… What will she think of doing after this when she wants to cuddle more? Jasper didn't want to get that far ahead… Okay… Ontari wanted to have sex… **Don't fuck it up!**

"Okay... I'll do my best." Jasper spoke realizing that this was his first time. For Ontari, he could have been like the twelfth or thirteen guy she had done it with. The way Ontari grinned stated she didn't mind.

"You can say their names... I won't mind... Jaspa kon  _Honet Kru_." Jasper realized that this was her first real time she had used sex for love. "It means you are being honest with me." Yeah... Murphy definitely made his mark on this girl. Say the truth, be honest, and when she needed to lie, let her lie.

"Oh... Okay… Honest!" Jasper said as they started to move together. "Myyyy Ja." Jasper groaned as Ontari forced her knees into him for traction as they started to sweat.

Knee pads... Definitely knee pads for this girl for the sake of his kidneys.

Holy Crap... he was having sex.

"Yes…" Ontari called out."Argon.."

Argon?

Well, atleast he was getting the former boyfriend's list like she was getting the names of his former loves.

This girl was a goddess. A scared warrior goddess, and he was in love.

* * *

 

Harper sat in the medical bay looking at Senua.

The former Reaper was still chained to her bed, but Clarke had done her best to fix the electrical surge damage to the woman's hand from the shock rod.

Senua once you got all of the war paint off and her headdress looked to be quite beautiful. Dark Blond hair, a traditional muscular Grounder Body, but she was hurt. Not just in a phycial way, but with her soul.

Whatever had happened to make Senua seek out the City of Light to ease her pain must have been significant for her declare a blood vengeance upon Clarke.

Harper moved to look at some of the clan tradition marks on Senua's body.

Several kill marks. Organized, precise, beautiful. But as the marks progressed they got increasingly messy. Some of these had been scars, while others had been done in ink.

Some of the scars were treatable if you knew how to use a laser.

The pattern of messy ones were seen as Senua's kills as a Reaper. Harper moved to trace a few of the marks. Grounders liked to count their kills, but this was something else as she started to recognize the pattern that she had grown up with most of her life.

The Last Tree. The symbol of the Earth Mother Terra.

"A few more marks and a little work you would have a completed image of the Last Tree." Harper moved to pick up a sheet of paper and a pencil and started to sketch the pattern down. Clarke needed to see this along with Abby. Looking up from time to time to look at Senua she started to notice that the woman was awake, but was observing her. "Why would the Earth Mother choose you?" Harper spoke as she started to fill out the rest of the image.

Senua seemed almost worried as she started to realize that the kill marks had started to form some sacred symbol of the Skaikru. This is when Harper started to scratch at her scalp as she looked back and forth at the markings.

"Tell me about the Earth Mother." Senua spoke as she attempted to look at the image on her arm as she strained against her restraints.

"Senua?!" Harper spoke as Senua stayed put. The warrior woman looked to be perplexed in that she hadn't been slain. Seeing that she was being watched over the one who had pulled her from being a beast to back to being a person, was forcing the woman to consider her options and fate.

"Your drawing..." Senua pointed. Harper realized that if one set of gods had forsaken Senua, then maybe another had taken up pity on her.

"You want to see the picture of the Last Tree?" Senua nodded. Harper held it up. The image wasn't much but Senua seemed almost calmer than she had been earlier.

"Your god is the Earth Mother?" Senua had been listening. Probably even heard Clarke working on her with Ontari to treat her wounds.

This was different, this woman was in a crisis of faith and was asking questions about what to do next. Maybe all Senua wanted was to have someone to talk to.

"You want to learn about my Gods?"

Senua nodded.

"Alright, I will start from the beginning." Harper spoke explaining her faith. "Yes... one of our Gods is the Earth Mother." Harper started with her story of her people. "In the beginning we came from the Earth before I was born. My people journeyed into the sky so that could build and learn and explore the stars in the sky." Harper got somber. "But we never forgot our home. The touch of the soil, the green of plants, the rush of water. All sounds and things we saw as sacred. We were the children of the Mother. Then the fire came and harmed our Mother. We knew that she was hurt and she would heal, but it would take time as this wasn't the first time the Earth Mother had been burned from above. As with death, there is rebirth upon the land. So we stayed at her side, waiting for her to get better." Harper spoke.

"So your people stayed in the sky near your mother till she healed." Senua spoke starting to understand some of why the Arkers were here.

"But as time passed, our stations started to fall apart." Harper spoke as she sighed. "I didn't know how bad it was until I selected to be put into some ground skills survival class, then put on a drop ship to determine if the ground was survivable."

"The Arrival of the Hundred." Senua realized that Harper was telling of her origins.

"Senua... I know that we saved your life... You spoke of what happened when you returned to your village." Harper felt that the Arkers... Skaikru had failed this woman. "You came here looking for Lincoln... for answers." Senua nodded. "Lincoln died saving his people, Trikru and Skaikru that Pike had imprisoned. Octavia gave him a warrior's funeral."

"Octavia is here?" Senua spoke sensing that maybe staying chained for now was going to be a hindrance, but the reason for her arrival or at least a way to sort out a path for her future was known.

"She was... she drifts around. After Lincoln's death... she took it hard." Harper spoke worrying about her friend. Harper had heard stories and rumors of what happened to Octavia after she stabbed Pike to death with her sword. The only confirmed sighting of her friend had been from Obara of Sankru who was a female warrior of the Sankru delegation. Octavia's warrior fury was known to many Kru as one who would not back down from a challenge. But it was her status of being an illegitimate child that had the Sankru looking for her.

Sankru were... well sexually open... There were multiple wives and husbands that were welcomed as part of their families. Given that Octavia wanted a place to live her life in peace there had been offers to welcome her on those lands.

The only hitch had been Lincoln's Death Warrant that needed to be rescinded.

Octavia had been wanting to live with Luna and her kru given the gentleness the woman had extruded towards others... But given the events with Alie... That vision of a hopeful future had been robbed from her.

From what Harper had been able to learn from Clarke and Bellamy was that Luna's rig was much like Arkadia, but floating on the ocean. Maybe that was why Lincoln wanted to take Octavia there. Floukru was in a way an ancestral counterpart to the original Arker society and Octavia learning their ways wouldn't have too long.

It must have been beautiful. Harper thought as she looked back at Senua.

"You worry about your friend?" Senua spoke as she started to flex her fingers of her burned hand. It wasn't a question per-say but Harper understood.

"I do..." This is when there was a knock on the door to the room. Harper turned to see Obara. The Sankru warrior woman was standing in the doorway with her formed Chest armor and her spear in her hand. The Olive skin tone and brown eyes spoke of someone who was used to living in the sun. "Obara?"

"My pardon's Harper of Skaikru, I heard that you were standing watch over this..." Obara spoke gesturing towards Senua with her spear.

"Her name is Senua... and you try to put your life back together after you have your humanity stolen from you and someone finds a way to shove it back into you down your throat." Harper defended Senua.

Obara jumped back a little. If this is what Senua went through when she returned to her village then Harper was going to make sure that this chain of hate was broken for those others that Skaikru had saved.

"Sorry... my friend Lincoln had been in the same state she was in. If it wasn't for the support of Octavia and others who considered him friend he would be in the same state as this woman is."

There Harper said it.

Senua was sick… in pain… needed help.

"She is trying to find the will to fight... to live again... Do you know what it is like for someone in her position? To have full knowledge of the animal that the Shitheads in Mount Weather turned you into. To remember every taste of human flesh, the smell of every victim that pissed themselves in fear as they were being dismembered. My friend Lincoln lived with that. He fought every day to overcome it, to find peace..." Harper moved to stand before Obara as she started to slowly shove the Sankru warrior's spear out of her way.

"Senua needs that support system to regain her humanity." Harper reached up and saw an IV needle that was used to deliver medicine sitting on a diagnostic table. Next to the needle lay an empty vile looked like it was ready to be used to draw a blood sample. All it needed to be connected to test tube. "What if that was you chained to that bed?" Harper spoke looking at the items near her.

"If shoving one's spirit back into them can be done with these items, what if I decide to rip part of yours out just so you feel some of what she is going through, then after that plop it back in!" Harper grabbed the vile off of the table. Obara looked at the determination in Harper's eyes. Sankru and Skaikru standing their ground on their differing issues, though one was not fighting for power or status... She was fighting to save the soul of one who was in need of help.

"Wait..." Obara spoke realizing that Harper wasn't so much defending this woman but was in letting her understand the situation of woman was in. "If the suffering of her spirit is going through is something that requires support to be healed, then... then I will assist you." Obara spoke as she moved and found a chair and sat next to the bed. The situation being explained to her in a very direct way had put the woman in place.

"Thank you Obara..." Harper moved to sit by her. "So... what is the mood among your Kru?" Harper spoke sensing that Obara wasn't there to stand guard over the former Reaper Woman.

"This is the reason that I came." Obara spoke. "I have heard rumors that Ontari is denying on taking the Commander's Flame." Harper sighed.

"That part is true, but for completely different reasons. Mostly she wants to use the Chip that Alie had her take to make contact with Singularity."

"Singularity... Alie's version of the City of Light... Actually it is a different place. Not the True City of Light, but a place that Bekka was working on with her Kru to construct so beings like Alie, The Nightbloods and those with Upload Chips could all meet, work and share ideas of how to help the world." Harper groaned. "Except Alie corrupted it by using it as a trap whenever someone used one of those chips, she removed bad memories and pumped them full of bliss."

"With Alie gone..." Obara started to understand. "Those there have been granted back their freedom."

"Yeah... When Clarke threw the Kill switch that destroyed Alie, she left a mess there." Harper spoke as she rubbed at the places on her face and body that were still sore of where an Alie possessed Jasper had attacked her. "Yeah, but those who died while connected to that place cannot go back their bodies or go to the next world. While everyone here is coming off of that bliss Alie pumped them up with are going through the same struggles as this woman is."

"So... Ontari's decision not to take the Flame is because..." Obara looked up at Senua.

"Because, when we used our knowledge to put Ontari back into her body, part of her is still anchored there. If she takes the flame, she going to become part of the Flame along with the rest of the Previous Commanders and we cannot access the information Alie had left lying around the Singularity. We need the link." Obara spoke after Harper finished.

"Then this threat that is coming is..." Harper's shoulders sagged.

"Bad..." Harper spoke as her words started to set in. "Between the Bliss that everyone who got chipped is withdrawing from is going to look like Mother's Milk compared to the Red Rage Senua was pumped full of when she was a Reaper." Obara and Senua started to understand. Senua wanted escape from her bonds, but if the entire world had become like her then maybe the reason the Earth Mother had chosen her.

"How many are like me?" Senua spoke as she looked down at her chains.

"Too many... if you wanted people to know what it was like to have their entire world crash around them, than you have your wish... minus the entire flesh eating thing." Harper spoke as she looked at the woman.

"Your... your goddess chose me to come here?" Senua looked a bit scared. This was like she realized that she was crying out for a god to help her. Guess she wasn't expecting the being the Skaikru worshiped to bring her to where she was needed.

"Don't know... but you need help." Senua looked down at her restraints.

"So... I am chained so..." Harper sighed.

"Because when you were changed by the mountain Men, they made you stronger than you were before. We could have tied you down if you were a normal person, but the chains are there so that you don't hurt yourself and us while we are treating you." Senua looked at her bandaged hand.

"For a warrior who has been touched by the gods... It is an honor and a curse." Obara spoke as she reached up to touch a purple pendant around her neck. "I lost one of my husbands who was accompanying the Nightblood to Polis." Obara looked sad as she realized that there was a weight to her.

"I'm sorry." Harper spoke to the Sankru woman.

"No... I know that I will see him in the next world. Our daughter will be in pain." Obara spoke as she looked at the woman.

"You are a mother?" Senua spoke.

"I am... I had my daughter right before my seventeenth winter."

"That young?" Harper spoke.

"My young one is about to have her fifth winter." Obara spoke as Harper did the math in her head. Obara was about twenty-two years old and from what Clarke had said about how young some of the warriors were, even that girl that Anya had been teaching as a warrior, Harper started to feel old.

"Obara... I know that it is none of my business, but you were young when you had your child." Obara shrugged.

"I was a warrior and my late husband was a kind man. Yes he was a bit older than me... but it is my people's way. I was his second wife, but I also have a husband that is my own age. Polyamory is part of my people. It was made so that those who love men and those who love women being of the same sex could provide offspring." Obara spoke. Harper was processing this.

"Wait... you mean that the entire..." Obara nodded.

"Yes... My late husband loved men... I was at that age where I could carry a child. His wife loved me, but I not him in that way. I tossed coin, it landed on which wife was to bare and I was the one." Obara shrugged. "I love my daughter and so does my extended family."

"Some Kru constrain the term marriage... Some just add to it." Senua spoke as she realized that maybe her actions would have been rash.

"Senua... did you have a lover?" Harper spoke as Senua started to cry. "Crap..." Harper moved to wipe the tears from Senua's face. "No wonder you wanted to find the City of Light... Between what you have become and the loss of your beloved..."

"He is the one that cast me out of the village..." Senua started to cry. This was a broken heart. Harper moved in and hugged the chained woman.

Fate had put Senua there.

Maybe it was the Earth Mother's reasoning that she needed someone to listen to what happened and not to kill her.

"Like those who the witch Alie had harmed, you will discover that you are not alone Senua." Obara spoke as she leaned in as well to kiss the forehead of the former Reaper.

It would take a while but Senua would be unlocked from her bonds as the weight of her pain became to be known to the two warrior women present.

Maybe the world needed a little compassion to start undoing the wrongs done through generations of mistrust.

* * *

 

Clarke was sleeping with Lexa's nightgown wrapped around a pillow.

She missed her.

The first time in the last few weeks, the pain she had felt about losing the woman she loved had started to hurt less.

Part of Lexa was still there encapsulated within the Commander's flame.

The uploaded memories of the woman she loved seemed to have let Clarke know that she could move on. Clarke moved closer to the nightgown as she felt the urge to undress and pull the garment close to her naked body.

The last time they had made love was powerful, peaceful, and beautiful.

Ontari would know those memories from the both of them.

How would that affect someone?

Knowing the most intimate secrets about your predecessor.

In a way Ontari must feel the same way when all of the pain she endured under Nia would be given to the next barer of the Flame.

Clarke moved back to those nights and saw how stressed Lexa looked after meetings with her advisors. She always grinned when in the presence of Clarke. It was like Clarke could remove any pain or aliment from her mind.

_"It has been a long time since Costa that have opened up like this Klark."_  Lexa had said when they had bathed together in that large tube she had in her room. Both of them exploring Scars and Tattoos. But it was Clarke's healing factor that had Lexa fascinated. Between their landing in Trikru Territory, Clarke had been beaten, cut, scrapped, clawed, stabbed and only faint markings remained.  _"The gods must have blessed you with a gift of healing yourself."_ Clarke had blushed at this as Lexa ran a hand across one of Clarke's hips.

_"It was the way I was born."_ Clarke responded back.  _"But your tattoos..."_ Clarke moved to look at the expanded pattern on Lexa's right arm.  _"You have added to them."_  Lexa had looked down at her arm.

_"They are response to the Kru traditions that pertains to those I see close. For whom have brought peace."_

_"Is one of them Skaikru's?"_ Lexa bit her lip.

_"Yes and no..."_ Lexa spoke.  _"Two of them are Trikru and one is of Skaikru's"_ Lexa started to explain.  _"The bottom one is Costa's... The one above is Anya's, the top one is your's."_  Lexa's context now started to make sense.

_"They are your lover's."_  Clarke traced that pattern on Lexa's arm.  _"You latterly wear your love on your sleeve."_  Clarke spoke as she started to realize what peace meant for a warrior people like the Trikru.

Peace meant love.

Clarke had brought peace to Lexa's life.

To forge peace meant... Clarke stammered.

_"You don't just want peace with Skaikru... you want it with me?"_  Lexa nodded.

" _In battle you are without weakness... I know that I am weak, but with you by my side, I can be strong... Forge connections in ways that I cannot do alone. Yes I have the power, but your vision of the future... That is a world I wish to live in."_  Lexa was crying.

_"Lexa..."_ Clarke spoke as Lexa leaned in and kissed her.

_"You have conquered the one thing no enemy has ever done. My heart."_ Lexa blushed a little.  _"How do Skaikru..."_ Lexa cleared her throat.  _"Enact Courtship?"_

Clarke was speechless at this.

_"You want to... be my..."_

_"Beloved."_

Lexa didn't seem all that different than herself. A young woman who was entering into a serious relationship with another person.

_"Alright, but you start telling me the stories about your tattoos staring with the loves on your arm and... I will tell you of my life on the Stations."_ Clarke moved and sat sideways in the tub so that she could sit next to Lexa and start to caress her arm.

_"Costa was this young servant girl who helped me dress during my Ascension ritual. She was a nervous little thing, but she was almost smitten whenever she was near me. At first I thought she was a spy, but when I thought her a threat she did the one thing I never expected. She offered everything to me."_  Lexa had blushed at this.  _"I mean everything down to her... naked body."_  Lexa chuckled at this, but the weight of sad memories of losing someone close herself.

Lexa talking about Costa's love of her and loss was followed by Clarke taking about her childhood and the events that led to her father's execution.

Getting out of the bath, drying off and curling into bed with Lexa, Clarke spoke of the events of what had taken place. The painful memories of seeing the death of her father and slaying of the people of Mount Weather were done through similar actions and that night Lexa watched over Clarke as she chased the demons away.

Now as Clarke pulled herself closer to Lexa's nightgown, she was able to gain some peace in being able to rest some knowing that a part of Lexa was still present and was watching over her.

"I miss you my beloved." Clarke moved to inhale Lexa earthy scent as she drifted off to sleep as she longed to feel Lexa's body next to her as dreams of Nightblood's face touched her dreams.

* * *

 

Raven was exercising her injured leg to help deal with the pain management. The small rubber and sewn leather ball that she was rolling on the floor with the bottom of her foot was doing wonders. Nyko was right. Raven would always have a limp, but this was great at helping fight the pain in her leg. The brace was going to be worked on again, but this time she had made some changes to put some strength back in so the she could start riding horses again.

That was when her terminal to Singularity started making noise.

Most of the time, the data flow going to Ontari was pretty steady other than the time she was able to interface into the station's security system. But most of that was her just looking around and listening.

This was different, the transfer seemed to be more directed into speaking to someone. Moving over to the terminal, she started to watch what was going on. But it was what was coming through the speakers that really caught her attention.

"Bekka..." It was Ontari's voice. "I know that Wan.. Clarke of Skaikru was in love with Heda Leska." There was some hesitance in how she was talking.

"You are in love." Bekka spoke up. The raven hair, t-shirt, and tied coveralls spoke all as the ancient tech genius was working on the simulation to link it to more of the orbiting station's systems.

"I am..." Ontari was doing her best to make her point. "but that is not the point... Klark... was wounded by actions by Titus, myself and Alie..." Raven watched as Ontari now dressed in dark pants, and a leather jacket with her traditional Grounder hairstyle flowing about her stated that she was attempting to do something as she did her best to rush beside and keep up with the Pramheda as the older woman was moving to a different set of controls.

"This isn't about power or politics... It is something more." Bekka came to a stop.

"I want to learn blood forging... i want to make more Nightbloods." This is when Ontari knelt down before her progenitor. "I offer my flesh and blood to..."

"Ontari... start from the beginning and explain." Bekka had knelt down before Ontari and helped her up. The girls' youth, eagerness and drive had gotten way ahead of her mouth and brain.

Over the next few minutes Ontari explained what was going on and the situation they were in. Bekka just listened as she started to hear out what roughly the plan was and what they wanted Bekka and the others to find out.

That part was easy, but Ontari was searching for something more.

"I want to forge a Nightblood child for Clarke... Specifically a daughter... maybe one that looks like Leska."

Raven as doing her best to understand.

Ontari was asking about...

Raven did her best to hop on one foot over to the terminal and she let her Raven Avatar land next to the two Commanders before she spoke into the microphone.

"Wait... Ontari you want to make a clone of Lexa for Clarke!" Bekka turned to look at the bird. Raven since her knowledge upgrade was not only able to see what the code said Bekka was doing, but also saw the reactions of her and Ontari.

"Klon?" Ontari spoke the unfamiliar word.

"Yes... the very thing that you asking about has a name." This is when Bekka looked over at the mechanic through her bird avatar. "Raven... There is much I need to speak to Ontari about, but understand... The clone issue is something that needs to be handled on some specific terms. For all you know... I might have her not create a clone but something completely different."

"Bekka..." This is when the Pramheda raised her hand.

"Raven it is late and you need your rest." This is when Rebekka Mugan of Polaris reached out and placed a hand on Ontari's shoulder. "Ontari is asking valid questions in relation to the crisis at hand. For all you know... She might be asking to perform an Xenogeneic insemination on Clarke so that she may have a child based on a blood or a hair sample of Lexa."

"Zeno... gen..." Ontari was feeling her way through this new word as well.

"Xenogenisis... It is the process I used to create the first Nightblood children with."

"Bekka..." Raven spoke up.

"Raven you need your rest and I will be sending Ontari back to her body soon." Bekka spoke grinning at Raven.

Raven realized that Ontari wasn't going to make the Clone flat out, but Bekka was right. Maybe Ontari was on this kick to figure out where she came from and the entire Lexa clone thing was maybe a way for the young woman to start mending fences with Clarke even on a hypothetical level.

"Alright, but I will be visiting Ontari later." Raven said as she moved to leave the room.

"Understood Raven of Skaikru." Bekka stated as she started to walk Ontari through the simulation towards a replica of Polis. Raven watched for a bit realizing that maybe something new was going to come from this.

* * *

 

Jasper sat up in bed to see Ontari in a mediation position with a blanket wrapped around her. The way she had it covering her body looked like she was wearing a hooded cloak.

Ontari looked introspective.

Clarke had taught Ontari how to dive into the Singularity and to a degree the Nightblood woman seemed relaxed. This is when Ontari opened her eyes and looked at Jasper and bit her lip.

"So... who did you talk to this time?" Jasper spoke as he watched Ontari look around the room.

"Bekka... gave her an update on the situation before us. Told me where to find some equipment in Polis that could help." There was something more.

"What is it?" Jasper spoke up.

"I spoke with Bekka... she stated something that... Jasper... your ancestors were blood forged like mine..." It hit home.

"So... you are sort of sensing that if you do this dream... there might be a forteenth clan." Ontari nodded at this.

"I wanted to make the kru strong, just that..." Jasper understood.

"You weren't expecting to become the first leader of a new Kru." Jasper grinned. "Well Ontari of the Nalblada Kru, you have made a few mistakes like Clarke did when we first landed here. But you are now working on your successes."

"Jasper... I want to make babies..." jasper shook his head in shock.

"Wha..." Jasper shot forward. "Wait... you... Ontari... did we get married through some weird... ah..." Ontari moved forward as the blanket around her started to fall.

"No... not yet my love..." Ontari cleared her throat. "I mean... I want to... craft a child for Clarke... A Klon of Leska. I want to make Clarke happy."

"Clone Lexa?!" Jasper was floored by this.

"Raven had the same reaction as you to that decision." Ontari spoke. "Does this have to do with some taboo, or law that was broken in the past by the kanics?" Jasper just blinked.

"No... fuck no... just... just that..." Jasper did his best to try to talk about some of this history and controversy involved about cloning. But Ontari cut him off.

"Jasper... Bekka told me the history about Klones. She put certain constrains upon the child's creation." Jasper stopped and fell back some in the bed. "The girl will be Leska's child to raised by Clarke as her own."

"Leska's child?" Jasper was doing his best to understand what Ontari was talking about. Maybe Clone was being used as a blanket term for what Ontari wanted to do for Clarke.

"Clarke's egg..." Ontari pointed to her belly. "Leska's hair." Ontari touched her own dark locks. "And the forge Bekka used to create the first Nightbloods." Ontari reached down and touched Jasper. "Much like using your seed and my belly to make a child." Jasper watched as Ontari took off the blanket and presented her naked form to him. "I want to give Clarke the gift of life..." Things were starting to make sense.

"You want to make Clarke a mother." Jasper started to realize what that meant.

"The most dangerous beast is a mother defending its child." Ontari grew somber. "If not for the overwhelming forces Nia sent to get me. I would still be with my family." Ontari took Jasper's hand into her own and placed it upon the scar over her heart. "My mother slew many a warrior the day i was taken. That is the image of perfection I keep to this day. It was only through trickery and deceit of putting hidden troops into battle that Nia was able to steal me away." Ontari reached over and brought Jasper's hand to her face.

"Ontari..." Jasper felt the warmth of Ontari's skin.

"Jasper... the scar on my left cheek is Nia's brand..." Ontari was explaining her facial scars. Ontari was starting to cry. "The next is the flame of the Nightbloods... That one was carved into me by Nia herself as she drugged and sat on my struggling body to place it onto me." This is when she finally moved to the angled lines on her face. "These are of my kru... family."

"Oh..." Jasper started to understand... The end of the world sort of places priorities for one's life.

"You want to add a scar for a little Ontari!" Ontari nodded.

"Or two or three..." Ontari moved to sit on Jasper again.

"So the baby talk and the entire clone thing is..." Jasper started to understand.

"Yes... my love." Ontari to move towards speaking in Grounder. "Please pound me again so that I am filled with your seed."

"Ontari there is something more going on isn't there?" Jasper moved to kiss Ontari's hands. "Bekka told you how long we have before we have to go into the shelters?" Ontari was crying as she nodded to confirm this.

"Only months to live." This is when Jasper moved to hug her close. "If we don't move to take action now to save the peoples of this world. This is why I want to make her a mother."

"It's alright, we will do our best to save as many as we can." Jasper spoke as Ontari broke down. "So... Any other things you talked with Bekka about?"

"Um... I have to wear white when we join our families... kru with vows of compassion for each other."

"You hate white don't you?"

"You have no idea how bad." Ontari spoke as Jasper soothed her nerves.

Clarke would need to know that Bekka learned about the status of how long they had left. Now all they needed to do was do the math of how long they were going to be sheltered in place till the storm passed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey let me know what you think so far by doing a review of the story.  
> Here is to the next chapter.


	10. Enduring

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about taking so long to update the story, but I hope that you all like what I have written so far.  
> If you have any idea for any characters you would like to see in future chapters let me know.  
> Now on with the story.

Ontari was sitting in the Chancellors office wearing her brown nightgown. The thick practical garment made Ontari's warrior frame look more fearsome with its design. The fact she was upset from the events that had brought Clarke to this room made it look out of place. Conversely Clarke's own blue nightgown was a comforting site for this young warrior woman.

These two contrasting colors represented the cultures in which they had both come from.

Brown for the dark soil of the Primal earth of the northern lands...

Blue for the endless daytime sky that represented freedom and death.

Right now the looks on their faces states that both of them looked like hell...

That and sex, but upset hell.

Ontari's post-coital connection with Jasper and Clarke missing her lover Lexa spoke volumes. Both women looking at the other and realizing that they were sisters by circumstance. They needed the other's support to save those they cared about.

"Ontari went into the Singularity to speak with Bekka right after we had sex." Jasper spoke as he was wearing his pants and t-shirt. But his bare feet spoke volumes as the scent of post-sexual sweat wafted off of him. "Mostly I thought she was talking with the previous Commanders about relationship advice for what to do next when Bekka got the news." Jasper added as he placed a hand on Ontari's shoulder.

"Bekka told me everything she was able to pull from Alie's data core." Ontari looked like she needed to be held close. A social dive for advice from the previous Hedas had been turned into a traumatic mess.

"So it is confirmed." Clarke spoke looking at the Nalblada.

"It is... Bekka received the report while we were talking about the origins of the Nalblada." Ontari swallowed hard. "You didn't see the look on her face..." Ontari forced the words out of her mouth as she hugged her arms around herself. Jasper and Clarke moved to comfort the girl.

"It's alright..." Clarke spoke as she remembered that Ontari had been let in on some of the major origins of her people via Bekka. She also had the key to talk with Bekka about explaining their plan to the uploaded leader of what they were doing.

"It was like she was about to be sick." Ontari spoke as she rolled through all the emotions she had been through.

"Ontari, Bekka was experiencing the same horror that you went through when you found out about Alie's endgame." Clarke moved to hug the young woman.

"It's not that, Bekka sent me away to find you... to have you join me to help..." Ontari felt scared.

"I am here Ontari." Clarke spoke as she pulled back some to wipe a few tears from Ontari's face.

"There were terms I didn't understand and Raven who had overheard us talking before Bekka sent her off to bed so that we could talk in private." Well at least there was another person that had been around to back up some of what Ontari was talking about.

"Okay... Looks like neither one of us is going to get any sleep until we get this worked out with Bekka." Clarke spoke as she looked over at Jasper. "Jasper go and wake Raven up. Me and Ontari here are heading to Raven's workshop and going to see if we can get the place ready so that we can talk with Bekka." Clarke spoke as she placed an arm around Ontari. "Ontari... You are not alone in this fight." The Nightblood started to relax some with her breathing pattern as she started to calm down.

"Thank you Wanheda." Ontari spoke as she looked down at herself.

Ontari was a work in progress, but a worthy work in progress. She was no Lexa. As a Delinquent she was starting to understand the value of depending on others for support and strength. It was that which was needed so to get through the hard and trying times before them.

"Ontari would you like to become my Second?" Clarke spoke realizing that giving Ontari the right to go through some of her people's traditional rights and passages would help ground her for the challenges ahead.

"Your Second?" Ontari was in shock.

"It is tradition that a leader takes a second." Clarke shrugged. "I would like it to be you."

"But someone of your own kru would be more suitable." Clarke grinned.

"The position would be temporary until you came into your own. You would learn how to work politics and learn to lead with respect. I was Lexa's while I was learning the ways of the Coalition and the rules they live by." Ontari started to realize that Clark was letting her take the steps to become the ruler of the Thirteen Clans. "You are a little rough, but you are willing to learn. Which is something I consider an honor." Clarke moved a few locks of Ontari's hair back into place. "We train our daughters to be leaders as the saying goes. Your mother would have been proud to the person you are becoming." There was worry on Ontari's face. "Even with the missteps, you were learning. That is important." Ontari understood that the Mess with Alie was like anything else, something that had forced her to learn. Ontari touched the scar over her heart a clear reminder of the hard lesson learned.

"I will honor you with my best Clarke of Skaikru." Ontari spoke as she looked around for a knife. "I swear my blood loyalty to you." Clarke moved for her medical kit and pulled out her small scalpel.

"Here use my healer's blade." Clarke moved to cut Ontari's hand to draw out the black blood before she moved to clean it on a cloth wristband she was wearing. Ontari repeated the process on Clarke's hand.

"This is your blade." Ontari started to understand that the blade she had been handed wasn't a weapon, but a tool to be used for healing. Small, precise, accurate. Dangerous yes... but like Clarke and those trained as healers, it was their weapon against death.

"It is not the size of your weapon, it is the skill behind it that is what counts in a fight whether your foe is illness, or another warrior." Clarke's words took a deeper meaning upon Ontari as she realized that her position wasn't so much about fighting as it was about healing the wounds of the past so that a higher and greater future could be had by all.

* * *

 

Raven watched Ontari undress and curl up in her bedroll naked. Jasper had grabbed these items when Ontari had been brought in to Arkada. Though Ontari going au natural stated something about how she slept or at least mediated.

"You know as many times I have seen your naked ass. I still cannot figure out all those makings on your body." The Skaikru mechanic spoke to the Nightblood.

"Well I cannot stand to sleep in Skaikru garments and those marks are a list of my kills, family and my status within my kru. The only reason that I am undressing now is that for some strange reason that my connection seems to be stronger when my ass in naked or in clothes from my land."

This forced Raven to start to recount the number of marks on Ontari's body. There were a lot. But given how Ontari was punching the bedding around her as she wrapped the blanket around her so that she could start her meditation with a certain level of comfort. A process to communicate with Singularity was a recently learned skill and Ontari for some reason needed to be comfortable either in her native clothing or in this case given recent events... Nude.

Maybe there was another reason that Ontari wasn't using her night gown. Given how she looked when she had encountered Bekka, she probably didn't want to mess up her bed clothes if it was horrific bad news.

"Too soft?" Raven spoke as Jasper moved to sit by Ontari as Clarke still in her nightgown moved over next to the terminal to observe. Ontari seemed to be less violent, but she was in a fight of flight mode now. Ontari had gathered her reinforcements and was about to do battle again with this threat before her.

"No... The seams are on the wrong places with your clothing. They feel strange." Ontari spoke as she pulled the blanket around her frame in such a way where she was semi hooded. Clarke grinned.

"Oh..." Raven watched as the Ice Nation woman reached for a little piece of fur that Jasper had brought for her. "And the fur?"

"None of your concern Skaikru." Ontari spoke as she pulled the small piece of animal fur into her blanket with her. Jasper just grinned as he moved to kiss the young Nightblood. No... Ontari didn't have a little blankee that she slept with... could she?

"Are you still angry at..." Raven started her inquiry to the Ice Nation girl, but Ontari finished that line of questioning for her.

"Wanheda... Clarke." There was a sag in Ontari's posture as the young woman reached up and touched the new scar on her chest from where Abby had split her chest to save her life that was now exposed. "She has my blood, and I have her's. It is… complicated. Blood must have blood." The last statement felt like a blow had been struck towards Ontari's faith or something deeper had taken place.

"A Nightblood with the blood of Wanheda. I guess Murphy is trying to deal with that. Some think that Clarke did it to steal your powers, but in terms you needed her blood to survive and she needed your blood to save the world from Alie." Raven saw Ontari shake at the mention of the A.I.'s name.

"The Transfusion..." Ontari spoke the word carefully like the cultural reference meant something more. "She gained my powers, I gained hers."

"Blood must have blood." Clarke spoke up. "Blood is power... for what took place between us changed us. I gained the powers of the Nightbloods and spoke with the Commanders, Ontari gained some of my powers over death."

"Yeah about that Clarke..." Jasper was about to speak as Raven sprinted over to the terminal as fast as she could with her limp and started to look at the screen that displayed her feed into the Singularity.

"Jasper... I know the implications of what I did." Clarke spoke as she turned to watch Raven access the controls.

"Well... Putting Grounder superstitions and beliefs aside for the time being, I need to locate Bekka." Raven said as she started to input commands to look for a particular pattern of code. "Okay... Grand plaza... No..." Raven moved to insert a different line of coding.

"Try the Ark Ring." Ontari spoke up.

"Okay Ark habitat ring." Raven spoke as the code she was looking for started to appear. "Okay, I found her."

"Hello Raven. I see that Ontari found you. Is Clarke there?" The Pramheda spoke.

"I am here Bekka." Clarke spoke to the First Commander.

"Good. I am sorry for distressing Ontari, but I believe that you have some information." Bekka spoke as the code on the screen started to change. "Raven... I am sending you a file to upload into the Neuro-rig crown you built to link Ontari back to her body. I want you to load it in to it and have Clarke join Ontari in mediation so that I can show them some stuff here."

"Why don't you use the chip that Clarke took of Alie's to speak to her that way?" Ontari spoke up from her distance in the room.

"Because of the Kill switch Clarke pulled. It disabled the network connections Alie was using to make the City of Light simulation run on those who took it. The only reason that you still have a connections is how you were injured. The system didn't know if you were dead or alive."

"I was trapped between worlds." Ontari spoke. "That is why I am still connected..." Ontari licked at her lips to keep them moist as she started to realize why she could still go there.

"Correct. The software that I just sent Raven should allow for Clarke to use an earlier version of the technology that was in place before the chips were created." Bekka spoke as Raven started to review the code.

"Looks like Bekka is right... I might be able to rig up a few more crowns later on but... for the one we have now... this will work." Raven noted as she looked over towards Ontari. "All we need is the crown."

"Columbia of Sankru has it. I let her wear the crown in that she thought it looked beautiful and in a way since you unscrewed it from my skull I didn't want it." Jasper just shrugged at this.

"Well... Looks like I am going to be waking up one of the Nightbloods." Jasper said as he got up. "Don't worry Ontari, I will do my best not to make Columbia lose any sleep." Ontari grinned. Raven's really didn't know the Ontari from before she got chipped, but this girl was a far cry from the beast that everyone was talking about.

"See that you do." With that Jasper moved to leave, but Ontari rose up and kissed him. Her wrapped blanket somewhat falling off of her exposing some flesh in the process.

"I will Coffee Shop." Jasper said as he walked out the door.

_Coffee Shop_? No... Ontari couldn't be...

"Ontari... you are not the girl from that coffee shop in..."

"The City of Light... Yeah..." Ontari spoke as she pulled her blanket close around her.

"The bookworm..." Ontari nodded at this statement. Raven realized that Jasper had found someone to fight for... But... This was news to her. No wonder Jasper fought hard to protect the City of Light...

He was trying to save her.

"Are you upset...?" Ontari spoke returning to sit on the bedding.

"No... Just starting to realize the reason why Alie chose Jasper to be her general to defend the City of Light as fervently as he did. He wasn't fighting for her... He was fighting for you." Raven started to realize how dangerous and devious Alie had been.

"He fought for love... my love." Ontari spoke letting her feelings be known.

"And Alie twisted that to her own advantage. What more powerful force that one will can have at their disposal to help conquer any foe than the force of love." Clarke spoke understanding Jasper's role in things.

"Well, I am glad that you survived and you found that love again." Raven spoke to the Nightblood.

"We have our painful memories, but it is because of that pain we have been forged stronger." Ontari spoke as she played with the small furry item in her hands.

"Ontari what is that small furry item in your hands?" Raven spoke.

"This... This is..." Ontari sighed. "Purr... This was an item of my mother's that I was able to pull off of her when Nia stole me from my family."

"Oh..." Raven hadn't considered that the Item was of a personal nature.

"I named it Purr." Ontari seemed almost like she was fighting her memories as she sat with the fur in her hands. "I kept it safe... I even had to kill and skin another animal just so Nia wouldn't burn the thing."

"Roan said that he had to hide some fur one time... Wait... this is that same fur!" Clarke spoke looking at the item.

"It is..." Ontari blushed a little. "Roan isn't as evil as his mother. He lives by code of honor." Clarke ginned at this.

"He does... why do you think that I was so willing to help him." The response caught Ontari off guard.

"Help him?" Ontari looked at Clarke realizing that there was something more going on.

"Dealing with Nia, making him king, saving you." Ontari looked stunned at this revelation.

"I was part of a deal between you and Roan." Ontari was processing this. "Was I to be traded for status among Skaikru?"

"No... Your protection was." Ontari processed this.

"I have a guard of Skaikru loyal to me?" Guard... Raven had think... This was a pseudo-medieval society, Game of Thrones stuff. Clarke raised her hand to clarify.

"You are part of the Hundred... They are loyal to you as you are loyal to them." Ontari started to nod some.

"So... making me your Second..." Ontari was processing.

"Gives you some command decisions, not full, but enough for you to understand what it means to lead. Plus I have seen your work with the young Nightbloods. You lead them... You teach... You guide."

"I do what I can to continue the traditions of educating my successors." Ontari spoke.

"It is no different in being a leader." Clarke spoke giving advice. "I didn't ask to be a leader, I just fell into the role given that I was the healer and my priority was making sure everyone alright. I lost people. I gained allies, but most of all, those who I was in the most conflict with the most started to become the ones that could depend on." Ontari tilted her head at this.

"Why... they were..." Ontari started to speak but Clarke cut her off.

"Because, I knew who they were and what they were good at. Even an enemy can provide some benefit for your people if you know who they are. There is an old saying, it is better to deal with the Devil you know than the devil you don't."

"Devil?" Ontari probably didn't know the reference.

"Demon... or more precisely the ruler of the underworld who punishes the spirits of the damned for all the wrongs they have wrought on the world." Ontari got the reference.

"So I am the lesser of two evils..." Ontari spoke.

"After Nia died... Lexa stated that you were filled with the urge for war. I didn't know if it was an Ice Nation trait and you had left with Roan back to the Ice Nation." Clarke lowered her shoulders. "So, One day I decided to go out to get some art supplies so that I could update my journals and make some drawings about what I saw. As I was walking around I started listening to people talk. Mostly it was about the Ice Nation. But there were references about Skaikru here and there. You have no idea about the stories and myths that have sprung up about Skaikru and myself that are misleading. Many of which I wanted to stop, but I never got the chance before things went sideways when Lexa got shot."

Clarke paused as she started to remember the situation but before she could continue Jasper returned, but this time there was an eleven year-old girl in a sleeping dress with him.

"Columbia decided to come." Jasper motioned over to the young girl who looked to be a little like Charlotte just given how her hair was braided. But her hair was dark like Ontari's.

"Heda Ontari..." The came forth and knelt before Ontari. "... I return your crown to you..." Ontari moved to take the crown from the girl.

"It's alright Columbia..." Ontari spoke as she adjusted her blanket to give herself some more modesty before her fellow Nightblood. "We only need it for a little while." Ontari seemed to feel the weight of the crown in her hands before taking note of the strange circuit board on the back of the unit along with the hardware plug. "Raven... I have seen these marking on the back of it before." Clarke got up and walked over to Ontari and knelt down.

"It is a standard circuit design." Clarke spoke as she let Ontari hand it to her.

"No Clarke it is more... You know how much knowledge that has been lost since the Great Burn that Alie committed. I read as much from Bekka's journal. But this..." Ontari gestured to the crown then around her. "I now know how far we have fallen and we need to go in Bekka's eyes. These circuit lines were once more powerful and any sword or blade or poison or book full of knowledge. Blood forging, walking on the moon, living in villages in the sky... There is so much we need to relearn. I need to know, am I worthy of my blood heritage to lead?" Columbia seemed taken back by this.

"My Heda... You will lead us when the time is right." Columbia spoke with compassion. This in a way cheered up Ontari.

"I know that I will Columbia and thanks for your words." Ontari paused as she saw the situation around her for what it was, Ontari realized that these people saw her as Kru. They may have been from different lands and even the sky itself, but they were Kru. She looked over at Clarke and saw a sister. "No... Primheda Bekka asked you to join me to speak to her on the crisis at hand. Then so be it. I may be learning what it means to be a Commander, if it is to be by your side on this journey, I will accept my role as second in command of on the Hundred." This is when a voice came through the speakers of the terminal.

"Ontari, Clarke. I know that you are talking about me and the others here in the Singularity but time is of the urgency." This is when Bekka directed her attention towards Raven. "Raven you need to install the software I sent you into the neural interface."

"Understood Bekka. One human computer brain interface coming up." With that Clarke handed the crown to Raven who plugged a cable into it and let the software download into the interface before handing the crown back to Clarke. "Software is loaded Clarke... All you have to do is put it one." This is when Clarke joined Ontari on the bed mat on the floor and took up a meditation position next to her.

"See you on the inside Ontari." Clarke said as she put the crown on her head and closed her eyes.

* * *

 

Much had changed in the singularity since the fall of Alie. Clarke saw that several of the structures had been modified to be a cross between their original industrial design and some advance biological one. But the amount of green and simulated wildlife stated that this version of the City of Light would be a reflection of its inhabitants.

"Raven are you seeing this?" Clarke spoke aloud.

"Yeah I am seeing it. Looks like Bekka has been doing a little redecoration to the place." Raven's voice came through a fluttering raven that was sitting on a park bench.

"The place looks like one of the grow towers from back on the station." Clarke continued down the alleyway. That was when a mechanical deer moved to munch on some grass that had been growing on what had been a street. The mechanical being's head looked up at her as the clear process tanks on its back sloshed around. That was when it ran a bright laser swath around her taking a scan of the environment before it decided to scamper off. After a moment another beast that looked like a large menacing creature started to gallop towards Clarke, but this one had a rider upon its back.

"Wanheada..." The rider called out as the beast slowly came to a stop before her. "The Pramheda sent me to find you when you did appear near the site you were supposed to." Some of the markings upon the woman looked to be of Delphi in origin.

"Bekka sent you?" Clarke called out to the rider.

"She did..." the woman's clothing seemed to have been reverted back to her tribal state though a smart braclet and a radio earpiece spoke that she like some of the conveniences the Singularly offered. "Sorry about my appearance. Some of us have opted to return to some of our more traditional garments since our memories have returned." Clarke nodded at this.

"So what other changes have been made?" Clarke sensing that this place was a far cry than what it had been under Alie's rule.

"Some... We kept what we liked, but... Some of us who are stuck here permanently decided to make some changes to make to feel like home." There was a comment that followed. "Who knew that Skaikru could turn gravel and rock and stone and make a garden out of it?" The rider thumbed back towards the tower.

"That's Skaikru's?" Clarke was impressed, maybe in a few years Arkada's gardens would be like that in real life.

"How do you think I found you? Most of your kin come to that place to feel at home." The rider said as she pulled Clarke onto the mechanical beast. "Come... Hopefully Otan has found your friend." Clarke had heard the name, but it was in reference to Emori's brother.

"I didn't catch your name." Clarke called out as the rider started to move her beast down the overgrown street/field.

"Sierra of Delphi." The woman said as they moved through the streets and Clarke started to get a sense that this was a place that Polis might be in a few generations if they survived the storm to come.

* * *

 

Ontari looked around the bookshelves of the library she had landed in. Ontari had been in this place many times during the time she had been a member of the City of Light Cult. The feel of the place hadn't changed, but her perspective on things had.

So much knowledge here...

This was a place if she could carry it with her... She would.

All this knowledge she would give to all Kru... her act of penitence for her actions.

Ontari had seen how far humanity had fallen due to the Great Fire that had destroyed the world of old. If there was any chance of rebuilding it, then the knowledge was here.

Ontari moved through the selves sensing that there was a reason she had been sent to this place or maybe it was the fact that she had longed to return to this location.

Ontari reached to feel the scar over her heart and felt fabric under her fingers. Well at least she was at least clothed. Ontari looked down to see what garments she was wearing. It was the same leggings and dark low cut top she had like wearing in this realm before... Ontari pushed that image out of her mind as she feared that Alie would return to find her and finish taking her life. Ontari would have felt better if she had a helmet on.

No... She needed to find Clarke!

Looking around she saw a child running through the shelves. The child looked to be playing a game with someone. That was when someone bumped into her.

"Sorry..." The boy looked up to see Ontari's face. The gulp spoke volumes. "Ice Nation."

"Um... Have you seen Wanheda? I am looking for her." Ontari knelt down looking a little embarrassed. The last thing she wanted to do was scare this boy off.

"No..." The boy backed off slowly.

"You're Skaikru..." Ontari moved to bite her lip. "My Lover Jasper is Skaikru of Ark…."

The boy stopped.

"Garden Station?" The boy nodded. Ontari keeled before the boy. "I Azpakstoka give my loyalty and my love to the protection of the children of all kru, including Skaikru."

"Is this a Grounder loyalty thing?" The boy spoke as another voice came from behind.

"Jamie... I found you." This was from a girl, probably about Artesia's age. "Oh..."

"Your friend found you?" Ontari turned to look at the dark skinned girl. "Have you seen Wanheda?" The girl shook her head no. The girl bore no visible clan marks of kill designs on her flesh. This one may have been Skaikru as well.

"Azpakstoka... Heard that you took the name of the Ice Wolf." A young man was walking through the aisles towards her and the children. "Hi... I'm Otan... Bekka sort of figured that you would wind up here." The young man raised his hands. "If you are looking for Clarke my friend Sierra sort of tracking down where she is."

"Do you know where she is?" Ontari spoke.

"Yes I do..." The young man spoke to Ontari. "You two sort of got separated when you established the link." Otan spoke looking at the children.

"Where is she?" Ontari moved into a defensive position as she placed the children behind her.

"Ontari... Stand down." A female voice spoke as Bekka came into view.

"Pramheda..." Ontari spoke seeing Bekka wearing her lose coveralls and white t-shirt that had the trail of black blood down it's back.

"Ontari... I have sent a rider to find Clarke..." The Progenitor of the Nightbloods offered her hand to help Ontari up. "I sort of guessed that you would show up near a place full of books." Ontari blushed.

"Pramheda... I..." Bekka moved to hug the girl.

"My pardons... It was my fault to send you off in such urgency." Bekka spoke. "There is much that Clarke and you needed to see and know." Bekka started to walk down one of the isles of shelves until they reached an open area of tables and desks. This is when an elegantly dressed Sankru maiden approached Bekka in yellow Legging and a soft silken top.

"Pramheda... Sierra returns with Clarke of Skaikru along with the Avatar of Raven." The woman spoke. Ontari took note of the woman's almost boyish short hair.

"Thank you Tyene." Bekka spoke as the group started to move through the Library and out through the main doors of it. Ontari started to realize that this place was the city center and it had been transformed.

Gone was the stark efficient lines that Alie had put into place. In its place stood a city that was more alive.

There were buildings that had been removed, but in their place stood more... Well natural places.

There were fields, trees, parks, and... What could be best described as the fact that the new buildings that were there had been constructed around and within the nature of the environment.

"Impressed..." Tyene spoke seeing Ontari's attention drawn to the buildings.

"I am." Ontari looked around the buildings.

"Many of the same kru started to gather together when their memories came back and started to make many of these structures home." Tyrene spoke as several Ice Nation children and adults were trading goods with a Skaikru farmer who was selling fruit. "We have all had to work together to make this our home." There was a sigh. "For the youngest of us who have been trapped here, we have done our best to make them feel at home."

"So..." Ontari started to realize the price that had taken place.

"This is the work that I have been doing." Bekka spoke up. "Alie's youngest victims have been paying the price for me not ending her so long ago." Bekka's voice cracked hard. "Those who have been here have decided to aid me in making sure that we can give those children a chance to live their lives in peace and with some normality."

"The library has been one of the places we kept intact... the rest... well, we changed to make into our home." Otan moved with the rest of the group as he brought up a tablet of glass with writing on it. "Pramheda... we need to bring Clarke with us to the Control hub, your presence is requested with Station Command." Bekka nodded at this.

"Understood Otan." The Sankru man moved towards a round door and swung it open as Clarke arrived on the back of some metal oxen creature.

"Sierra, see that your search went well for finding Wanheda." Tyene spoke as the two women approached.

"It was once Bekka knew where to send me to." The dark skinned rider got off of the beast and helped Clarke get down.

"Ontari... Bekka..." Clarke seemed to be relieved to see that Ontari was alright.

"It is good to see you too Clarke of Skaikru." Ontari spoke seeing how much Clarke's appearance was different in this realm. Most of her garments seemed to be the light and dark blues of most of the other Skaikru that she had seen walking around Arkada.

But there was something different...

Clarke bore the same two scars that she had on her upper chest.

Maybe the Commander of Death had decided to finally take some kill marks. Not of individual foes, but of the armies she had taken on. The ones that needed to die.

The Mountain Men and the Cult of the City of Light.

Clarke had no grudge against Trikru, it just had been a misunderstanding between her people and Lexa's. Maybe excluding them from her kills was her way of making peace with Trikru.

Yes there were dead on both sides, but that was politics as both sides worked out their new boarders. If there were scars... Ontari wouldn't know what they were or where they were at on Clarke's flesh given she hadn't been privy to that part of Skiakru society. Considering that Skaikru were particular on their scaring patterns. Maybe given their healing knowledge she had seen them and passed them off as some skin blemish on Clarke's form.

Shit it took her several days after the bathhouse incident to learn that the most visible scar that most Skaikru women bore on the right flank of their body by their breast was a sign of motherhood. Ontari had learned that when she confronted a woman whose scar was fresh. Only when she presented her naked body as she slowly starting to round belly that Ontari had put the pieces together. Ontari had thought it was a battle scar... not being seen as a scar representing motherhood and the number children you had.

Probably in their eyes, they may have seen her as a whore given her recent scaring.

This was the stuff that she was learning to understand. Sort of like Sankru's marriage thing. Only if Murphy knew what he was getting into with Emori. When was she going to ask Murphy to ask for a second husband or a second wife? Only time would tell. But for now the Thief and the false Flamekeeper were happy together.

Now being drawn back to the present Ontari watched as Bekka's group moved through the door that had been opened up. Given the thickness of it probably spoke that whatever was behind, it was important. As the group moved through it Ontari started to realize why it so strange and yet so familiar.

The door was of Skaikru construction.

Walking down one of the hallways the place seemed to be manned mostly by Floukru, Skaikru and some Delphi personnel. Going through another thick door they entered another room and what she saw took her breath away.

She was looking at the world from high above. There were lands so far away that she could see another sea... No... An ocean. Between the displays giving information on various points of the world such as weather and possible mineral locations. Ontari was taken aback by this place.

Even the green flutter of the Auroras in her homeland struck a chord in her heart. Her goddess Bori was looking out for her.

Ontari had to fight with all her will not to drop to her knees and pray to the Goddess of the Sky.

"Lexa... give me an update on the current coverage of the toxic clouds on the surface?" Bekka spoke as she moved to look at the report that Lexa was about to give.

"Recent readings that we have been able to get from Alie's sensors have given much information on the spread rate." Lexa moved to look at Clarke but continued her report given that this was something that she needed to announce aloud. "So far given the toxic rate of the cloud path development we are looking a considerable toxic coverage for most of North America. So far we have been able to detect to a limited degree with the thermal imaging since we have achieved a higher altitude that there are remaining settlements in the southern hemisphere will be affected as well." Lexa spoke conveying the information she had. "So far we have been pulling through various records that Alie was able to grab from the old computer network called the Internet about various places that humanity could survive. So far Einheart and Carmen have been able to locate several old salt mines had had been converted to archive storage facilities. Mostly they need an upgrade to their atmosphere systems as well as some artificial agricultural farming technology so that the inhabitants can hold out until most of the radiation levels subside." This is when Lexa turned to look at her lover. "Yes Clarke we have been working hard at this problem too. Ontari states that you have been working on a theory on using a system that will allow for the transferring of some of the healing abilities of the Nightbloods and Skaikru to other individuals so that they may survive the crisis." This is when Bekka started to speak.

"If my lab is still intact in Polis, you can access my research and equipment to get done what needs to be done." This is when Clarke moved to speak.

"So far we need to get hold of a bioreactor to make a immunity cocktail of bone marrow so that we can slow the progression of the effects. Throw in what we have been able to treat by using Indigowoad root to make an inoculate to slow and treat the current level of radiation poisoning. If we don't then we will be stuck in the situation the Mountain men were left in for nearly a century before they decided to come after my people to harvest them."

"Understood. It was much the same way when I arrived back on planet and started to inoculate the survivors." Bekka spoke as Ontari moved closer to listen in. "It took awhile to get the first batch out given that the levels were heavily toxic. The rate of Cancer was exceedingly high but using a biological treatment I had developed while on Polaris, I was able to save many lives through treating their cancers." Bekka spoke as she moved towards a table that had several markers on a map. "If you are going to use my Bioreactor you are going to need to nurse the bio matter back to life as well as add a mixture of genetically engineered proteins from Skaikru as well as take a pint of bone marrow from each of the Nightbloods to create what you need." Bekka spoke as she moved the maps off of the table and hit a few controls. "Additionally you will need to create a Auxotrophy bath made up of various vitamin, essential nutrient, essential amino acid, essential fatty acid to feed that marrow mix so that you can grow what you need to save the peoples of these lands."

"I understand." This is when Clarke looked over towards Raven's avatar. "Raven, you and Jasper grab some paper and start to write this down of what we need to get and build for these Bioreactors as Bekka walks me through the procedures."

"Understood Clarke." Jasper called out through the bird. "If you can, find out how long they estimate the stay in these complexes will be?"

"Jasper... We will do that." Ontari's feelings that being a leader meant more than learning to save lives, it meant being there for those you cared about.

"Ontari..." Clarke looked over at some of the papers that had been placed on another table. "Could you to work with Einheart and Carmen and see where these bunkers are and how many people we can fit into them." Ontari moved to look at the maps. "I need you to treat these like villages that needs to sustain themselves for a long winter where they can't get supplies from the outside."

"Understood." Ontari started to realize that her skills in the Ice Nation brought about a level of knowledge for survival, while Clarke's were affiliated at treating the sick. maybe that was why the Gods had chosen them to work together.

"Raven... I need you to have the Nightbloods work with me on this. And grab the map of the territories out of the War Room."

"Yes my Heda... I will do that." Columbia's voice could be heard faintly through the bird. Ontari grinned.

* * *

 

Karina couldn't sleep.

Between the Grounder with the snoring problem that had kept her up most of the night in the room next to her's. She needed to find a quieter place to be. Hell, Raven's workshop would be quiet this time of the night until morning. Carrying her pillow and her floating yoga harness as she plopped her bare feet across the metal floor of Arkada with determination. Sleeping in the harness like a hammock would at least provide a few hours sleep for her.

Approaching the workshop Karina saw that something was going on.

Wait... Was that Columbia?

Karina watched as the dark haired Nightblood start to sprint out of Raven's workshop in her nightgown. For a girl that was about the same age as Charlotte had been before her death was one thing that had worried her and Clarke. If enough Grounders knew of the Hell that Clarke had gone through with Charlotte's death. Karina didn't want to think about it given that it might be used for political gain against Clarke and the Arkers position in the Coalition.

Though seeing the girl sprint away from Raven's lab... Now this was a concern for everyone here.

There were a lot of things in that place that could go boom, not to mention the work items that could be covered in poison. If either took place a good part of the service staff of Arkada could be taken down quite easily thus leaving the settlement open for an attack.

That was when Jasper came out of the workshop and saw Karina in the hallway.

"Can't sleep?" Jasper spoke as she noted the items that Karina had in her arms.

"Understatement. So what was Ontari's Nightblood up to?" Karina watched as the girl sprinted up to the habitation levels of the settlement.

"Ontari made contact with Bekka over an hour ago. We have been dealing with download and sort of the information cache that Bekka raided out of Alie's system." Jasper spoke as he watched as a Trikru man walked by followed by Harper who was on her path towards her home.

Rampant insomnia had been a side effect over the last few weeks because of the amount of time some people spent within the City of Light. Thus it was not an unseen site to see many individuals moving about at odd hours of the night just because the idea of falling back to sleep for longer than just a few hours just felt uncomfortable to them. Karina had run into quite a few children often sleeping on the stairs and the various parts of the old space station just because they had often spent so many hours in that artificial virtual environment Alie had created feeling safe. The Trikru man just was probably unable to sleep and was trying to do something to work off that edge, the game of cards off in the distance seemed to be one of the things that had been taken up the interest with the other insomniacs. Seeing another player being open the man got dealt in. Amazing what a deck of cards taken as a trophy from Mount Weather could do to help soothe the mind of those who had been through mind control hell.

But hearing this new revelation on that the battle had been ongoing had hit home.

From the sound of things, the new Heda seemed to be up to her eyeballs in sorting out this flood of information.

Sleep could wait.

This was more important.

"So how much of a data dump are we talking about here?" Karina stated as she moved closer Jasper.

"A lot... Most of the other Hedas have started to chew through it to find the information we need, but right now Ontari had Columbia head out to get the other Nightbloods to help us." Karina knew the look on the girl's face. She had been in that place too.

This was much like the battle of the bridge against Trikru had been. Karina and another girl from Hydra Station by the name of Eden had moved to protect the younger members of the Hundred.

The look of worry and dread was one that Karina wouldn't forget. Eden's dark skin was almost close to Ontari's even down to her figure, but given that Eden had been convicted of murder the girl knew that she wouldn't go down easy as killing was a second nature to her. That tensed form spoke that it was fight or flight mode. Dreading the moment of death and the will to fight for that next moment of life. Karina had been the lookout while Eden had been the one ready to hold that last little bit of the structure if the front line defenses failed. That feeling was forming here was the same. Eden had found some peace in hunting and using her murderous kills to the benefit of those who had come to the ground.

Eden was a Grounder born in Space.

Karina respected that.

Now those skills had come to protect those who now called this place home.

Fight, Hold, win.

Karina with her firearm, and Eden with her spear ready to spill blood that needed to be spilled.

Now this was a new front line. Only this time the odds were not in their favor... for the time being.

All the work that Eden had gone through being Lincoln's student to control those urges and turn them to something good. Eden over the last few months had become a hunter for Arkadia and it had allowed her to quell her murderous desires and turn them into something beneficial for the community, even going as far to get facial tattoos.

Tattoos that Lincoln himself had done in the weeks prior to his death that would mark her as a hunter of Skaikru.

Then Alie changed that and turned the young huntress into one of her warrior trackers that that attempted to storm the Government tower in Polis after she had been sent out to hunt down Clarke.

Eden was now nursing back a twisted ankle from recent events, but if there was a chance at getting some payback... Karina at least knew that there was another person that was going to help them if she got the chance.

That was Ontari of the Ice Nation.

Ontari was wild even by Grounder Standards... but that savagery had been forced upon a girl who was intellectually hungry.

The mirror opposite of Eden, but the two had opened up about their worlds.

Now with books and those who saw that craving of knowledge as something they could work with, Ontari seemed to be at peace too.

Eden had taken to the girl and had started to ask if there were any Ice Nation girls who were into women as Eden was interested in having a relationship with a girl from that land.

Well, they had another Hundred going Grounder.

Maybe a Grounder guy for Karina?

But that line of thought had to be put on hold.

Karina looked at the inner parts of the former space station and realized that in time this place would be reworked into something more Grounder.

"We are Grounders..." Bellamy had called out before that battle to rally those would fight against the army of Trikru warriors.

Now the Arkers were slowly becoming Grounders.

Karina's own children would be Grounders, that is if she survived this current crisis.

As a small group of Nightbloods returned with Columbia. The looks of concern on their faces spoke volumes.

"How much help do you need Jasper?" Karina spoke as she watched as she saw the worry and grogginess in the children's faces. Whatever dreams and hopes that these youth had were now being threatened by the legacy of Alie.

"A whole lot." Jasper spoke as he ran his hand over his short cut hair.

"I'll Help." Karina spoke as she moved to pat him on the shoulder. The tired grin on his face stated that he too had a stake in this matter by the name of Ontari.

"Thanks..." Japser spoke as he motioned Karina into the workshop.

Entering into Raven's workshop she saw Clarke sitting on the floor next to Ontari. Karina was seriously impressed a Clarke's artistic skill at treating her wounds to the point was known that some healers had ask to study under her. Even the scar fading she used to cover up many of the cuts and injuries to her face was significant. Given the number of times that Clarke had been hit in the face. It was amazing seeing how flawless her face looked. Between the amount of medical adhesive and the use of her scapel, one had to really look for the scars on her face. Most of the time they showed only whenever she got flustered and one could see the broken nose scar, the scars across her right forehead, and the few on her chin.

Ontari looked to be almost serene, well serene given that the woman was sitting naked on the floor with a blanket wrapped around her. Ontair's fingers twitched some as a change in her breathing took place and she swallowed. Over by the computer Ontari's voice could be heard as she was speaking to a woman.

"... Francesca, these territories that you are asking me to look over, they are vast."

"Yes Ontari, but the old mines in these areas helped save many lives. The salt mines in these areas were converted into storage areas before the great burn. They will need work in the time remaining, but they should hold against the weather events." Ontari's fingers twitched.

Ontair's tension was coming through her fingers that and part of her left side of her head was twitching.

"Raven is there a way to talk with Ontari." Karina spoke up.

"Ontari." Raven moved to speak into a small microphone that was on the desk. "Karina is here and she wants to ask you a question."

"Karina..." Her arrival must have not been expected. Ontari's breathing shifted.

"It's alright... If you want me to..." Karina decided to state this in a formal way. "I will stand watch over you sister." Karina moved to take Ontari's hand and in that moment Ontari's finger twitch subsided. The pulsing by Ontari's forehead of where they had operated on also stopped pulsing as well.

"Karina... What did you do?" Clarke's voice called through the speakers.

"Just held her hand."

"It's is well Klark..." Ontari spoke up. "Knowing that I am not alone in this fight... and that I am seen as a sister of your kru means much." Maybe that little acceptance that Karina spoke and showing it meant a whole lot to Ontari.

"I'll teach you how to make that spiced cabbage we had." Karina spoke.

"Throw in how to make that bean bread and I'll call it a decent trade for my maze smut stew." Ontari spoke as the environment started to become relax some as priorities were set up of what information would be delivered to each group.

* * *

 

Indra rubbed her wrists, the latest set of wounds would heal in time after she had been crucified to that damn cross. For Octavia of Skaikru the wounds would take longer... especially for the young warrior's heart.

Lincoln of Trikru had been this girl's world.

Octavia was the type of person that would never back down from a foe. But this wasn't a foe that needed to be fought, it needed to be endured.

Indra had tracked the girl down following the trail of bodies she had left in her wake.

The poor fools who thought of Octavia as being an easy prey learned too late that the young Sky Girl was a force to be reckoned with. The hacked up bodies spoke as much.

The name of the Sky Killer had started to spread.

Even Ice Nation warriors gave this girl a wide birth when she came in view.

If Clarke Commanded Death... Then this girl wanted to slay the creature where it stood.

Indra had tracked the girl down the moment she was able to leave Abby's healer's room in the Ark and started her search for the girl.

It had taken weeks to find the girl, but when Indra did find Octavia she was taking on a group of Slavers by herself.

The number of bodies dropped were brutal.

The last warrior of the bunch was shitting his pants as Octavia drenched in the blood of his compatriots started to come towards him.

"Fight me..." Octavia had spoken in the voice of a person in pain. A person that wasn't afraid of death. A person that death should be afraid of.

"Take the prisoners... take the..." the poor fool never finished his words as Octavia ran her blade through him.

"Octavia!" Indra called out to the death seeking woman.

The girl turned. Blood drenched clothing stating that Death should be afraid.

"Indra..." the girl was wild with grief.

"I thought that I taught you better."

"Go away or kill me."

"You are my Second."

"Second... Second born, seconds away from saving one's love. Second's for dinner... death for a second born."

"Second as in daughter..."

"I have no mother..." Octavia spat. "Skaikru floated her to the vacuum of space for bearing me."

"You do have a mother... not one of blood, but of Earth."

"I have no Kru..." Octavia cried out.

"But you do have people that care about you."

"They died... They killed... They are death."

"Then why do you seek out Death?"

"I want to be with him..."

Octavia moved to start hacking the Slaver's head off. The chopping motion scared many of the shackled slaves that were cringing in terror fearing that they would be next.

"It is not your time Octavia." Indra called out as she slowly approached.

"I still smell him. I long for him."

"He wanted you to live Octavia." Indra spoke as she moved closer.

"He died... Pike is dead... why do I feel so..."

"Lost... hurt..." Indra was able to finally approach close enough to touch the girl and take the blade from her hands.

Octavia finally cried... Howled... and punched the blood soaked soil letting her pain out.

That was five days ago.

Indra walked over to the bed in the TonDC longhouse that they had come to. This was the first time in the last few weeks that Octavia had actually slept.

Food, water, rest... those were the priority now for this girl.

Other needs would come, but for now those three were the most important.

Indra had never had children, but Octavia was the closest thing she had to a daughter.

Yet the child was born of the Stars and the Sky, she was a creature of the ground of the Mother Earth.

Indra was probably the first mother this girl had in a long time since she had been found by Skiakru before she was imprisoned and sent down with Clarke and the rest of those hundred warriors.

Indra moved and started to braid the girl's hair.

Octavia looked up at Indra with eyes still in pain.

"Easy child... I am giving you a braid of mourning." Indra spoke softly. "It is given to girls who have lost... family." Indra moved slowly through the girl's hair and started to weave.

"You are doing this for Lincoln?"

"And for your mother." Indra added.

"Thank you." Octavia spoke as she started to relax some.

Indra knew that for Octavia finding peace among the ground meant the world to her. Now she needed to find the peace of knowing that the spirits were looking out for her.

If they were survive this oncoming storm, then they needed to endure the challenges to come.

For Octavia kon Skiakru, her challenges were just beginning.


	11. Lull

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is bit of a respite before things start to get serious again.  
> This is a bit of a world building chapter so there is a lot of back stories that take place here so that the world is a little more filled out than what is talked about on the show.  
> Also those who have been looking at my Pinterest feed of my story ideas will catch a whole lot of some of the legwork I put I writing this chapter.  
> A big thanks goes out to darksage11 for responding to my request for having a character be created in his honor.  
> Your character will be showing up in Chapter 12.  
> Now Chapter 11

Ontari moved into the showers. Not so much to bathe, but for the quiet.

Taking a seat on one of the benches she watched a woman undress.

She was one of the locals that had come to find a family member. The woman's large lean frame and significant breasts stood out among even the Skaikru. The woman's build would have made her look like Clarke with her sizable frame, other than the fact this woman was a head taller and the body proportions were to match.

Seeing that the woman's facial Kru marks stated she was of Ice Nation made Ontari relax some as she slowly took note the other markings. Ontari felt that given time that she might ask Clarke to teach her how to heal her own facial scars so that she might balance them across her face evenly and remove the marks Nia had placed upon her. But watching the woman bathe Ontari felt that maybe she needed to place her own tale upon her on flesh. Reading this woman's might give her some insight of the story she wanted to have on her own body.

_Crafts maker._

_One of five sisters._

_Prisoner of the Mountain._

She may have been thankful to Clarke for saving her life. If this woman had a child, the boy or girl would have been named  **Clarke** or  **Skai** or by the name that had been floating around whenever Clarke's name had been called out by some of her kru:  **Griffin**.

_Trikru... Markings. No... Bride to Trikru._

Given their location spoke that this woman had been a bride given to the Kru in the time of peace. The freshness of the marks stated she was a recently married. Maybe in the last few weeks given the healing. Given the number of settlements near the boarders of Azgeda and Trikru lands for fishing, this woman may have been handed over to ensure some trading rights to take place between some of the nearby villages in that area.

That would place her ceremony to just after Nia had been slain.

Given the number of individuals from Polis that had been brought she may have been from there or have been sent there to ensure that an alliance took place. It was the markings stated that she was also a Venus mother. A future barer of Nightbloods.

It was rare to see a Venus mother these days without some guard around them. But given the young woman's status, this would have been a coup to ensure that a Trikru Nightblood would someday take their place in Polis.

It was written in Bekka's journals that these women had supplied the additional eggs and wombs she used to create the first batch of Nightbloods that were sent out into the world.

The Venus Mothers were sort of seen as a blessing to those lands who had one.

They were left alone, to trade one even through slave barter was a death sentence.

Ontari's mother had been one.

Ontari did her best to remember the face, but only remembered the completed scar pattern on the face.

The half pattern that Ontari herself had before Nia desecrated it with her own blade.

Looking back at the Venus Mother Ontari kept following the woman's tale.

Her arrival in Polis must have meant that she wanted to make the Kru she had married into there: " ** _strong_**."

The last one Ontari had seen that wasn't her own mother was when she was a child before Nia...

Ontari shook her head to fight back those dark memories.

No... Nia was dead and so were those dreams.

Take the path Bekka had given her.

A Venus mother meant that if the woman was willing then, maybe fulfilling Bekka's dream of growing the Nightbloods into the Kru of rebuilders could be done.

Usher Neo Renaissance into being.

Ontari could clone Lexa to make a child for Wanheda.

Bring life to the lands. Restore the world to what it had been before the Great Burn.

Honor Bekka's wish.

Ontari grinned as she relaxed some as the warm wet air filled her lungs.

This was a good sign of things to come given the events of the late night and early morning she had endured.

The soft sound of the water was why she was here.

It was soothing.

Ontari needed soothing and hope.

Seeing the Venus mother had brought hope, now for the soothing.

Crossing her legs on the bench she took a deep breath and relaxed her mind.

For a little while she found peace from the events of the previous night.

It had taken hours of Ontari looking at maps and directing the Nightbloods to mark out the locations in the real world. Landmarks as well as specific details such as were entrances were all noted and presented between Clarke's own mission.

The blood potion that Bekka was having Clarke cook up from a mixture of Skaikru and Nightblood bone marrow was very complex. Ontari only caught pieces of it and most of that was over her head. Other than politics, Ontari swore that she would pay more attention to Clarke's lessons on healing. When this treatment was combined with the woad and Liquid Salt potions it would provide enough protection for those in the bunkers to survive this returned Praimfaya.

The trickling of the water and listening to the woman bathe made Ontari's mind relax as she started to think of home.

No Nia... meant that Ontari could to some degree have the freedom she so wanted.

The role of Heda... that would be something that was earned.

The flame... Ontari would bare.

By Bekka's name she would bare it well. Not for personal reasons, but for those yet to be born.

Ontari... Second in Command to the Hundred.

She liked that.

Ontari would learn to be a leader.

Learn to be the right kind of leader.

Like Boudicca Queen of the Iceni. Feared by the descendants of the very foes whose once great empire had long turned to dust. Respected for the ages since by the decedents of her people. That was who Ontari wanted to be.

Ontari kon Azgeda... No...

Ontari kon Natblada-Kru. That was more fitting. She had to think of herself as being not of any one Nation, but a member of all them.

Ontari's body started to relax.

One battle down... Many to go.

But hope in this age was as precious as water was to a farmer in a drought.

If there was too much or too little, then all would be lost.

* * *

 

Monkey watched as his wife Trip tucked their daughter Kai back into bed from the night full of nightmares she had been experiencing. Trip had come to Polis looking for her father after he didn't send word that he had arrived there. Upon arriving at Polis Monkey and Trip had been horrified at what they had seen. The city had looked like it had been attacked. The amount of blood in the streets was nearly a river flowing through it. Kai over the last few nights had been having bad dreams of Alie the witch coming for her. The image of his little girl standing in a pool of blood that was almost up to her ankles would be one that he fought hard to forget, but couldn't because his little girl wouldn't until her dying day. She needed to feel safe, Trip needed to feel safe. Monkey was doing his best to keep them safe and if it was only for a few hours, he would count it as a win.

Seeing Ice Nation troops helping under order by command of their King was a change from the militancy of his late mother. There were riders heading out to the Glowing Forest, Broadleaf, Trikru and Floukru villages to get help. If you had come in, any skills or talents you had with carrying the wounded or healing was needed. Trip and himself and offered with no question was asked.

The digging of graves, setting funeral pyres, and moving the dead had been the hardest for those there.

The attacking troops seemed to have struck from within the city walls. It was only learned later that some force from long ago had arrived and used some power to sway the people inside to do this harm to themselves. Monkey didn't know a lot about the technology, but Trip did. But words like Mind control and Brain washing came off of lips of those there. Even Wanheda seemed wary from the battle as she had taken on the leader of this carnage herself, Alie the Red Witch. Wanheda had been spending what skills she had to tend to Heda Ontari who had been wounded by Alie during the final battle.

Monkey had been able to use his free climbing skills to head up the shaft of the great tower to help get the pulley system established so that Heda Ontari could be brought back down for treatment. The task had taken many hours, but once it was completed those who had been trapped on the upper floors were able to come down to help those below.

Trip's own earpiece and the headband that he wore on his head that was part communications system that Trip had crafted had been born out of survival. The two of them had met as prisoners and only when they had escaped together from the slavers that it started to become something more. Trip's own knowledge of lost technology had come in handy in helping them to freedom when combined with Monkey's own strength and skill.

Monkey had been a Nomad and Trip had been part of Rockline people. But somewhere along the way... Monkey looked at their little girl with her tuffs of red hair. They had fallen in love.

Monkey was a father. Trip was a mother.

He had Kru... Family.

Now walking about one of the rooms that was being temporarily used to house the families of the injured he saw Trip doing her best to hold it together.

Monkey moved over to take his wife in his arms and she started to finally let out her sadness.

"Father..." Monkey slowly rocked her back and forth. "... he..." Trip's rawness was still there and Monkey held her letting her know that she was still safe.

"It's alright... you didn't know that some ancient cult was going to place your father on a cross like they did."

"A cult lead by an ancient machine being... A mad God A.I." Trip's hands shook as her body jumped as she tried to process her knowledge of the old world with what had transpired.

"But Wanheda took the being on and defeated her... It... Whatever..." Most of Monkey knew was that windmills made power that made light or turned gears. Ghost, Spirit, Machine, whatever Alie had been was one and all of these things at the same time. A creature beyond his knowledge, yet as savage as mad ruler could be.

"She did... but the blood." Monkey leaned and took his hand to rub the back of her head. Moving to take free her hair tie to let her hair flow free, Trip looked better with her hair down and more relaxed when it was so.

"You are alive, he is alive, and we are alive." He moved to kiss her on the forehead and motioned to their now sleeping daughter.

"But what now?" Trip's doubt was tangible. Fear, not understanding the force that had come for her family.

"We work, we heal." Monkey spoke. Trip needed to be grounded in the world of now. Not in the realm of "What ifs" and "What coulds".

"The Commander..." Trip's feelings were now coming into play as her mind raced back to that day of blood soaked streets.

"Ontari, Lexa or Klark?" Sensing that it was part jealously of the powerful women who had done things she could not.

"You know the one..." Monkey understood. Not every day that you have to bring down the injured body of Heda Ontari after you climb your way up to mount the pulleys needed to descend her down for the healers to get to and become seen as a hero in the process.

That was several weeks ago. Trip's father had been taken to the Skaikru village for care when they had found him nailed to a cross.

The man had lost a lot of blood, but it was Trip who had been typed to being compatible that had been the hardest for her cope with. She had given much blood that she to the point of pale at times.

Trip needed to let go and rest. Let her body heal... So that she could care for her father in time.

Monkey moved and picked her up in his arms and carried her out of the room.

"Hold on." Monkey spoke as he placed his wife on his back and started to head out the door of the room moving to close and secure the door behind them.

"Monkey?" Trip spoke as he kept her on his back.

"Come on... I want to show you something." Monkey spoke as he walked down the hallway and started to head up a series of stairs inside of the large arch of Arkada.

It took a while to get to the location he wanted to get to but, once there he needed to head through a hatch.

Trip seemed to almost cling to him all that ore as he moved up the stairs with his large mass.

The brands and tattoos on his exposed flesh spoke of his history. The red oaker that he used around his eyes make him look dangerous as he sprinted by as a Blonde Skaikru woman took note and started to follow. There were locations in this place that even made him jumpy, but seeing the blonde woman with her warrior armor and braided hair followed him put his mind at ease as he knew that they wouldn't be on this journey alone.

When they reached the top of the arch structure Monkey moved and found the door lock to the large hatch at the top of the structure. Pulling a few levers Monkey got the door to open and walked through with Trip on his back. The Blonde woman saw why he had come to this place and stood nearby watching and listening. Maybe she too had come up here for the view. Leaning against the side of the doorway she stood watch so that he and Trip wouldn't be disturbed.

"Found this place a few days ago." Monkey let Trip slide off of her back. "Thought that it would remind you of home." Trip took a few hesitant steps forward and looked through the window. Monkey watched as trip looked out upon the valley. The tension in her body started to let go as she took in the view. Seeing the late night turn to morning made her happy.

"It is beautiful." trip spoke as she started to cry. Moving to comfort Her, Monkey started to understand some of her emotional state. She had felt powerless in light of the past events. Trip had wanted to take her pitchers worth of blood for what had happened to her father by this witch but couldn't. How can you take blood from someone who never had blood in their veins? But that point was moot. Now... It was a waiting game to see if and when Trip's father recovered.

The man was as stubborn and troublesome as Trip was, that stubbornness is what had gotten him hurt, but also had bought some time for a young girl to escape who had been part of the party traveling with him.

That same girl was now sleeping safe with her aunt Niylah at her trading post near the Skaikru village. The girl had lost her parents as well as her grandfather due to the mess that had played out because of Queen Nia and her vengeance on Skaikru. Now...as the sun rose over the horizon, there were signs that hope might return to these lands.

There was a storm coming, but like all storms it would pass in time.

They just needed to survive this one.

The Blonde woman leaned by the hatch and watched and grinned. Maybe she had come to this place too.

"I forgot how nice the sunrises are from here. Nothing like they are in space, but they are even prettier down here." The Skaikru woman spoke.

"They are, and each with a different story for the days to come." Trip spoke as she started to take note of her life and let this battle against things that could not be changed end. For the first time in days Monkey sensed that Trip was going to at least recover from this war with herself and realize that she wasn't alone in her fight.

* * *

 

Clarke walked back through the Ark. There were looks of worry on people's faces as she slowly returned to her quarters on the Ark given that she was still wearing her nightgown given the night-long war conference with Bekka and the previous Commanders. Clarke had been staying in her mother's old room since her mom and Kane had moved in together. In light of recent events, Clarke was glad that her mother was finding some happiness in her later years. Clarke sighed as she stopped and stretched out some moving some of the nightgown she still had on off of her left shoulder. Clarke still bore the panther scar, but with some prodding by Lexa during her time in Polis, Clarke had gotten a tattoo. Well a tattoo to transform the scar into an Arwen.

Lexa had been curious to why Clarke had asked for three dots to be placed at the top of the scar marks.

Clarke had to explain why.

The Arwen was a symbol made up of three rays with each ray signifying a balance between two opposing or complimentary powers in the universe. Like the yin and yang of Celtic symbolism.

This had gotten Lexa's attention of why Clarke could be both a feared warrior and an accomplished healer at the same time.

Clarke had to balance her skill of causing death by using skill to save life.

Maybe it was why Clarke strived so hard to achieve peace.

Then Clarke had explained the ancient meaning of the Skaikru symbol: The Triquetra, otherwise known as the Celtic knot. It was the three phases of the moon: New, Middle, and Full. Life, Death, and Rebirth. If one placed a circle within it or around it, it meant family... Kru.

That was when Lexa had asked Clarke to start a book of symbols so that when Skaikru went "Grounder" they could at least choose the symbols to place on their skin. Symbols that Skaikru could agree on and have present so that they wouldn't seem too much "Outsider" when dealing with the varying Kru from across the regions they needed to travel.

After the entire branding mess with Kane... Clarke realized that ink would be the better choice for her people to take up as they slowly started to adopt Grounder ways.

Arms, legs, back. Those were good starting places for her people to start placing their markings on.

Cara, one of her fellow delinquents during her last trip to Polis had gotten some ink done and not really gotten any flack for it.

Cara hadn't really wanted kill marks like Octavia had gotten, these marks were to remember who she was. She had gotten the number 100 tattooed on her right hand to be a reminder of the original hundred delinquents she had come down with all those months ago. The second tattoo that Cara had gotten was her prisoner number that she had placed along the flank of the right side of her body by her breast.

The tattoo artist stopped cold when he had done that one thinking that it was the number she had while a prisoner within the Mountain. In actuality it was her prisoner number from her time in the Skybox. When word had gotten around about the ink, Pike had thought she had gone "grounder", but when she explained what they were... well people had left her alone considering what they meant to her. It was her way of saying she was an Arker.

The only reason that Cara had gotten it done in Polis was the fact that Arkada didn't have a true "tattoo artist." Well it did in Lincoln, but given the location of one of them; she didn't want anyone she knew getting near there unless she wanted them too. That number was her's and she didn't want anyone short of a lover to know about it or why it was there. Clarke had asked the artist who had done the work and gotten the number and it made sense. It was the number of days Cara had left before she was going to get floated when she was sentenced to become a member of the 100. Clarke understood that every day since that number passed would be one Cara would be grateful to have.

Warriors of the various Kru had started to call her Death Witch just given one of the symbols she had placed on her body being connected to a symbol of mysticism. Some thought it was the number of her kills. In actuality it was the number of days she had left prior to her Eighteenth birthday when she had been sent down with the rest of the Delinquents. 111. First three kills and you are seen as being blessed by the Gods as being a mighty warrior. One-hundred and eleven of them... and Cara's devote tree worshipping, call her Diana and send forth a stag to stand beside her in battle that would get some folks attention. The image made Clarke laugh inside. Maybe Ontari was right in a way, Skaikru needed to die... or at least some of their ways needed to die for their people to live in this land in peace.

But the slow process of coming to terms with events such as that meant that Cara would soon be getting another set of numbers placed on her skin.

The date of when she joined the Cult of Alie and the date of her liberation from it.

That feeling was starting to flow through the rest of the Hundred. New and Old.

Clarke drifted back to one of the first few conversations she had with Ontari when the girl was in her prissy, pissed mood when people didn't take her seriously and thought she was still weak.

_"I have come to kill you."_ Ontari spoke holding her knife at Clarke's throat.

_"Really? Then we have a problem."_ Clarke responded.

_"Why?"_ Ontari placed her anger towards the world waiting to see the fear in Clarke's eyes.

_"Because, I didn't come to die. Please hold your knife at me if it helps you relax."_ Ontari was doing her best to fight against Lexa's " **Don't harm Clarke** " **command**. _"You can't kill me. Even if you could, you can't bring yourself to do it. You'll hesitate. Again."_

Ontari pressed the blade against Clarke's neck.

_"I am not **WEAK!** " _Ontari vented.

_"I didn't say you were weak. I said you hesitated, that is far different than weakness."_

Ontari felt hurt.

_"I..."_

_"You need experience and not the type Nia fed you. You need training to become something more."_

_"I need nothing."_

_"You need support, you need allies. You need to look into the eyes of those who you send off into battle and say 'will you die for me' and have them respond back to you and say 'Yes!' by their own free will."_

This hit home.

Clarke had the power to do without a chip that Ontari had pulled off with Alie's help.

_"How do you do it?"_ Ontari spoke as she pressed the knife into Clarke's throat.

_"I earned it... Through trust and friendship... and respect... Things you are deeply missing."_ Ontari felt hurt by this but realized that with a single word Clarke, the Commander of Death herself would schedule a meeting with Death itself for Ontari. It would be one Ontari would never return from.

_"Then strike me down, Wanheda."_ This is when Clarke had reached up and taken the girl's hand away from her throat.

_"That was not part of my deal with Roan."_

_"Roan?""_ Ontari was now learning.

_"Yes Roan, I swore to Roan that you would become Heda... I am going to make sure that you are the type of Heda that I would follow into battle and willing say 'Yes, I will die for you!',_ because _I am tired of surviving like the other people of this world. I want to LIVE!"_ Ontari now got the point. She wasn't just getting her wish... she was going to learn what all that wish mean.

Ontari had seemed more... introspective after that when she learned that she and Clarke had the same desire to have something more in this world than being just the young woman just trying to survive.

Over the last few weeks Ontari seemed to have grown a lot...

Mostly between learning to trust in others as well as learning to love again.

Clarke had been much the same way when she had been placed into that decent pod and sent down with the rest of the other Delinquents.

Seeing the young Ice Nation girl mature into a young woman without the continuing influence of Nia's control over her.

But it was Jasper's influence that had transformed the girl since that incident with Senua the Reaper.

Ontari seemed to be more concerned with the realization of how close to death she actually came.

Maybe it was this introspection that made her less willing to go for the sword.

Some of the Ambassadors who had come to Arkada thought she was going to follow Lexa's new code of: Blood must not have blood. But it was something else.

It was more... Study first... Slay later. Only then know which head to cut off if it was deserved.

Though she did like sparing in verbal assaults to figure out one's positions on subjects, at first it was with the other Arkers, then it slowly moved with the Ambassadors.

Ontari was sharp... But she had rough edges on her.

But it was the small things that Clarke had learned about the girl... She was an intellectual, craved knowledge like a dehydrated person seeking water. Curious about everything around her and... Well if she liked you... she liked you.

If you held information back from her, she thought you were lying or worse... were a threat to her.

The bath house incident spoke as much until Sunny dropped her towel and realized that all Ontari was interested in was her IVF implant removal site. Being eight weeks pregnant also helped. The girl wasn't lying, she was trying to protect her unborn child.

Ontari kicked herself after that.

Ontari hadn't wanted to scare the mother the way she did.

Many of the Grounders took scars for those they killed, Ontari started to realize that Skaikru took scars of those who were born.

The  _scar of motherhood_  Ontari had called it. Seeing how ritualized it was.

There were other symbols that she was trying to figure out. But Ontari's own heart scar she saw as being something important.

Being touched by death and living to tale the story.

Ontari had spoken that Skaikru were developing their own marking tales.

For Ontari... maybe it was the reason she was calming down so much. Clarke had seen the former servant girl start taking notes in what she had seen. It was striking seeing how other Grounders such as the Ice Nation viewed them. Jasper's spear wound, the IVF scars in the women, Kane's Brand, the tattoos on some of the delinquents.

She was seeing the death of one way of life and the birth of another. Ontari was doing her best to chronicle it for the generations to come. Maybe it was her way of making sense of the reality of the world around her.

For the girl who wanted to see the Death of Skaikru... she was seeing the death of the old Arker ways and the Birth of Skaikru ways.

She was getting the context of getting the names right for who you wanted to slay.

Cara, Sennia and Eden along with Liam had started to slowly opting to take up marking themselves in their own ways as Octavia had started to do. For Ontari, she was... well a fellow Delinquent... One of them...

Maybe it was the reason Ontari and Jasper got along so well together. They had survived death and had the scars that said so.

There were stories floating around that the Skaiboy Trickster and the Ice Wolf had become lovers. Well that was confirmed and Jasper's Trigedasleng was improving. If Ontari started to smell like burnt herbs... That would be a problem. But the fact Ontari had been spending so much time with him had brought the other peace. That was reflected in some of the art that was springing up with Ontari's face appearing in some of the images alongside Lincoln's.

Clarke felt the cold floor on her bare feet and looked at the art on the walls as she past taking in some of the visual history that had started to become the story of Skaikru. Clarke recognized a few faces as she passed by.

Some of the art done by children, others done by seasoned artists. Even herself. But the story was being told, much like Bekka's had been inside the walls of the Temple of the Commanders. Clarke had started to take note of some of the faces she was seeing drawn on the walls.

Some of the hundred seemed to be the ones that stood out the most including herself, Bellamy, Octavia, Raven, Jasper, Monty, Harper and Lincoln. Individuals such as Cara, Sennia, Eden, and Liam were leaving their mark as well as they were going Grounder.

Sennia. Now that was a girl was making her own statement.

Sennia had picked up wearing a pair of white strips that went from the sides of her forehead to the upper biceps on her arms. Though not looking 'Grounder' based, it spoke warrior. Black meant Ground, White meant clouds, Sky.

The inversion of the colors spoke of her stance on the world. She had been born of the Sky, she just lived here, now she needed to let people know that Sennia of the Skaikru was to be respected as a person and not some trophy to be presented to one's clan.

Sennia was working hard to join the Gunner's detail after the recent number of losses Skaikru had endured at the hands of Alie. Maybe it was her way of being close to her late father who had been slain in that last battle. Sennia seemed to be a good fit since her maturity of fighting her way out of Mount Weather.

Clarke moved on to think of the others who had also had started to go Grounder as well.

Eden, the huntress.

Eden, had taken up with a set of triangles on her face. Mostly to break up the accents of her face while hunting, but it was mostly to make her look more like an animal than a person. Eden had been a caged animal most of her life... now the animal inside of her was free and for the first time in her short life at peace. Not bad for someone who was convicted of murder back on the stations. She could now let her skills aid the colony in providing food for those who lived there.

Eden's dark passenger seemed to have found some peace as it had a chance to be useful to those there and it had lost its taste for human flesh.

Then there was Liam.

Liam... Well his tattoo had been his way to honor his friend Lincoln and to call him brother. Since Lincoln's death, he kept it as a remembrance of his Trikru/Skaikru brother. Liam was in the process of becoming a healer. Since the events back in Polis, he had been one of the healers treating the wounded. Nyko was now thinking about taking the young boy under his wing as an apprentice. Something that Clarke saw as a mending of relations between the Skaikru and the rest of the Kongeda.

Clarke rolled her neck feeling the popping take place to relax her joints. That was when Clarke saw a drawing on the wall. The mixture of children from the Thirteen Kru made her happy, but the line if Latin above it spoke volumes.

**_Homo Sapien noctem sanguinem._ **

**_The people of the Night Blood._ **

Now this had her attention.

Looking closer at the images on the screen Clarke started to take in the details of what was taking place in the picture.

Most of the art style looked similar to her's. But the inexperience of the hand told that someone had recently learned to draw like this.

The picture of Ontari and Jasper holding hands wasn't scandalous but fitting. In a way as it stood next to the images spoke to something that Ontari was maturing. A girl who had been raised in violence had been finding her way to become a leader to her people. Opening up in the arms of a boy she had met seemed to have taken much of the misshapen edge off of her. Now the blade was being properly sharpened into a tool that would benefit all.

The world was changing as were the Grounders and the Arkers.

Clarke had gotten a crash course in Grounder culture as she started to understand the four laws of Grounder society and the Arkers who were becoming Skaikru were staring to take to heart.

-  **Be Brave and Aggressive**  - This meant: Be direct, grab all Opportunities, use varying methods of attack, be versatile and agile, attack one target at a time, don't plan everything in detail, use top quality weapons.

-  **Be prepared**  - keep weapons and tools in good conditions, keep in shape, find good battle comrades, agree on important points, and choose one chief.

-  **Be a good merchant**  - find out what the market needs, don't promise what you can't keep, do not demand over payment, arrange things so that you can return. (That was a work in progress and mostly it is what brought about Pike's downfall, he had forgotten that it was easier to trade than it was to attack when it came to your foe. Clarke and Kane would be mending fences for years for all of the crap that Pike had pulled in his short time as leader).

-  **Keep the camp in order** \- keep things tidy and organized, arrange enjoyable activities which strengthen the group, make sure everyone does useful work, and consult all members of the group for advice. (This was where Clarke was working hard with Ontari to broaden those skills with that last part, but it was hard... a good hard. Though Cooking... Ontari seemed to almost like that when she got the chance. Maybe Clarke could turn that to her advantage and have her do a "Cook Out" to broaden her communication skills with different Kru members.)

In a way, Ontari was right... just that she needed to have the right names for whom she wanted dead and for the reasons why. The rest of the process was up to the individual to figure out how to live with and tolerate other peoples. Skaikru was learning that the hard way like Ontari in blood, sweat and tears.

Now looking back at this mural Clarke started to understand why it had been left alone.

This image spoke to the changing world as did the children that were pictured in it.

Maybe it represented the change that was coming about that people had started to realize was important to them.

A new age was being formed.

That they were all becoming one people who had to come together to survive and thrive into something better.

Bekka and Lexa's dream.

"Wanheda?" A voice called out to her as she turned away from studying the artwork. Clarke saw a Blonde Trikru woman in brown loose leggings, a blue sleeveless linen tunic, thick fur shoulder pads, an extra-large belt that was less fastened in place than it was tied around her waist and thick armored arm guards.

" _Yes..._ " Clarke responded back in Trigedasleng. This action caught the warrior woman off guard but taking it as a good sign proceeded.

" _I Valkari of Trikru... Former Servant of Leska of the Trikru wish to..._ " the woman knelt before Clarke. Clarke moved to kneel before the girl in turn stop the Wanheda worship and to find out why this woman had come to her.

" _Valkari... I know of you... I saw you many times moving between the library and the council chambers._ " Clarke grinned. " _How you kept the records of information in order for Lexa to make decisions on the varying affairs within the Coalition. Why are you here?_ "

"I  _wish to serve the warriors of the Hundred._ " This was new. " _My blades, my skills... my blood..._ " Clarke rose her hand.

" _Valkari... slow down._ " Clarke was racing to catch up with a conversation that she might not have been part of that this girl had probably rehearsed so many times that she had thought she had with Clarke for the umpteenth time.

" _Am I not worthy?_ " Valkari looked worried.

"No... It's not that..." Clarke wanted some answers. "Start from the beginning and explain why you want to join the Hundred?" Clarke's change in language wasn't so much a code shift thing as it was her way to at least get a context in her own language.

"I just explained..." Valkari started to look worried.

"Is it because of the threat that is rising because of Alie defeat?" Clarke wanted to pull some facts to figure out what was going on.

Valkari swallowed.

"Did you do something under the influence of Alie that...?" Valkari was shaking. "You want redemption for your actions... For those whom you harmed." Valkari nodded. Clarke understood. "You have to work with people whom that you once thought were your enemy. They have as much to lose as you do."

"I have to work with the Ice Nation?"

"You have to work with all Kru."

This made Valkari think hard about her next few words.

"Ice Nation killed..."

"Family..." Clarke spoke. "Did you harm Ice Nation?"

"Yes..."

"Blood has been had." Clarke said putting things into context but sensed that there was something more to Valkari's story. The Ice Nation seemed to be the center of it.

"But you said that... Blood should not have..." Valkari looked worried.

"Needless blood should not have been had." Clarke clarified. "That was the objective." Those words hit hard. "There is a time to spill blood, and a time not to. Lexa like I was tired of the needless blood being split over small things that could have been settled or rectified just by simply talking out the issue that had caused the problem. Others... well... you have to spill blood, spill it for things that it must be split for so that a greater threat can be dealt with for the sake of all."

"That is what Lexa was trying to do? Trying to ensure that blood was split for the right reason and not to settle some minor act of vengeance."

"Mostly..." Clarke was starting to understand her actions more and more. "Also... My people have been forced to change their ways so much. There are bound to be a few missteps along the way. Though a few...should have been hacked off at the source to have prevented further bloodshed." Clarke realized that Valkari was understanding where she was going as she finished her sentence.

"Pike!"

"Pike." Clarke answered with heaviness to her voice.

"Was it true that he trained you?"

"He did... he wasn't evil... just after so much loss and being attacked so long he was more driven by fear of losing everything he cared about. Alie used that fear to move to claim Skaikru for her needs."

"I slit the neck of an Ice Nation child before his mother." Valkari shook remembering her actions. Now... The truth was coming out.

"The child was innocent?" Valkari nodded. No wonder the young woman wanted to be part of the Hundred. Clarke now started to understand why.

"It was not honorable... I..." Sheer guilt was now kicking in. "Needless blood was spilt. Blood must have blood; the child's spirit cannot rest until I stand beside them in the next world to be punished."

"Murdered and Murderer to be sent to the next world side by side." The fear spoke volumes in the young woman's eyes sensing that she was subject to the laws of Trikru and for the crime she had committed. "I understand. But you were not in control? Blood must have Blood... and Murderer and Murdered... I see your dilemma." This girl was enduring the same horrors Clarke had endured when she had to throw that switch to slay the people of Mount Weather.

"I..." Valkari was starting to cry. "I took the chip of the Red Witch Alie!" This girl was as much a victim as the child she had murdered. If more like her were coming, then they would be precarious state if the code of  _Blood must have Blood_  was carried to its most vengeful conclusion. In Lexa's name Clarke had to nip this in the preferable bud.

"Welcome to the Hundred." Clarke spoke, this woman needed a path of redemption to save her soul. "You now have to use your skills that got you in trouble to help save those next to you, no matter what station or Kru they are from. You cannot undo the past, but you can balance the scales of your soul to learn to live with the action taken. It will haunt you to your last days and maybe the spirits of the dead will grant you some peace."

"I will..." Valkari spoke sensing that whatever had gotten her into trouble might be a chance at redemption. "I will... Wanheda..."

"Clarke... my name is Clarke." Clarke grinned.

"Klark... yes Heda Klark."

"Just call me Clarke."

"Klark. Understood." Valkari nodded and realized that there was much she needed to learn on how the Hundred functioned.

Seeing Bellamy, Clarke saw that maybe Valkari needed someone to mentor her through what she was now living with.

"Bellamy... I have someone here that you may want to talk to." Clarke called out. Bellamy wariness spoke that he was in the apologizing mood. Valkari moved and started to speak... in the next few minutes Bellamy realized that this girl wasn't hostile to him, but had the same wounds of the spirit he had. The path towards redemption would be a long one, but the not knowing you are alone was one of the few things in this world that would help save one's soul.

Alie hadn't really understood that, but the fallout she had brought had forced a much-needed change that was needed to be brought about.

If the people of these lands survived, then maybe a better world would be forged from its ashes.

* * *

 

Octavia felt Indra run her fingers over her hand.

It was so strange to see this side of Indra.

For a girl who hid in the floors and walls of the station to find the freedom of the ground, she had gained so much.

Lincoln... He had shown her what love was.

To have him taken from her by Pike still hurt.

That was when the tapping resumed. Indra handed her some nuts to munch on so that Octavia could have some nutrients to counteract the loss from the ink being embedded into her skin.

Octavia breathed through the pain as the cold air crossed over her naked chest.

"You in pain Oktavia?" Indra spoke as Octavia shook her head stating no.

"Just cold." Octavia bit her lip as she felt the smell of blood and ink mix on her flesh. This pain felt real... Grounded...

With the rub of numbing pain oil, Octavia finally started to cry some.

Octavia moved her head to look down at her chest. The double hatchet pattern of Lincoln's tattoo had been duplicated upon her chest. It was a little lower and a bit smaller, but it connected her love with her again... over her heart.

"From this world to the next my love." Octavia spoke softly as she dipped her fingers into some of the oil and caressed the fresh ink on her chest.

Octavia slowly let the pain drag her off to sleep as in the first time she was able to rest.

* * *

 

Octavia walked through the hallways of the Ark.

There were children playing.

Music.

She stopped at the window to see that she was in space.

Octavia saw that she was wearing war paint. It was different than the style than her traditional one. It looked like a cross between Lexa's… but it also included Lincoln's markings - his double axes.

This is when a young Skaikru girl came up to her wearing an Ascension Day mask.

"Are you from the ground?" The young girl spoke. Octavia took a look at the young girl seeing the fear and almost raw curiosity within her eyes. Had she ever been that young and innocent in her life? Maybe she had.

"No." Octavia spoke looking at the young girl whose long brown hair reminded her of her own. "Though I do live down there with my friends and those whom I call my family. They are my Kru."

"Your parents must be proud!" The young girl spoke moving slowly to reach out touch Octavia.

"I don't have any parents... They are dead... Though Indra... a woman from the Ground she thinks of me as her daughter." Octavia spoke.

"What is it like... the ground?" Octavia turned to the girl. The girl's soft blue gray dress and natural movement spoke to none of the hardness that would soon come to Skaikru.

"Hard... But good people live there." Octavia tapped the girl over the heart. "You have to be brave and aggressive, be prepared, be a good merchant and keep camp in order. Once you do those things, they will respect you." The girl looked a bit confused at the vague terms Octavia used but she was interrupted before she could continue.

"Octavia my love." a familiar voice called out. Octavia turned to see who it was and her heart jumped.

"Lincoln..." Octavia called as she rushed towards him. The comforting embrace of his strong arms when they met took away the pain of Octavia's heart. If this was a dream, then let her not wake up. "... How are you here?"

"This is the realm between your world and the next my love." Lincoln spoke. Octavia started to realize that there was another man standing by them.

"Jake Griffin." The man spoke as he looked at her. "You must be Octavia... a friend of my daughter's."

Octavia's brain was racing as she started to process the information before her.

Daughter... Griffin...

"You are Clarke's father..." Octavia's brain caught up with her body. "Then why are you speaking to me?"

"Octavia, you must help us save those in need. You may have been an outcast, but you need to use that to help bridge the worlds of the peoples of this world." Octavia noticed how the Griffin patriarch was looking at her. If this was a vision quest, then it was going places that she started to worry about. This is when a woman reached out to her.

"Octavia, listen to this man." Octavia turned to see her Mother Aurora standing before her.

"Mom..." The woman who bore her into this world was standing before her.

"Octavia...you are a good person. I know that you are in pain, that you blame your brother for my death... Don't..." Octavia felt her heart in her throat. "It was neither of your faults... It was mine..." That was when Aurora Blake reached out to touch her daughter's face. "But I am glad that you are alive... Repeat the lesson that I taught you growing up."

"I am not afraid." Octavia said the words she cried.

"Good... say it again. Slay another one of your demons."

"I am not afraid." Aurora started to cry.

"Again..."

"I am not afraid!"

"Again!"

Octavia stood watching her mother prompt her on, but it made sense as the frightened little girl she had been came face to face with the warrior she now was. She would not let her fear or pain dictate her path in life anymore.

"Octavia, we need you to help save the members of our families, it is not their time yet to join us." Jake Griffin spoke to Octavia.

"Octavia my love, we need you to head to Mount Weather. Head to the Reaper caves. Look for the Lab. Find the cold room. You will find something that Clarke needs to help save those yet to be born." Lincoln spoke placing his hands-on Octavia's shoulders.

"I can't..."

"It is in the lab where the Mountkru took samples of my seed for study."

"Seed?" Octavia spoke.

"For children." Lincoln spoke grinning. Octavia realized what he was saying. "You always would make a great other." Octavia embraced Lincoln feeling her body heave as she realized that a part of him would soon be with her again. Lincoln nudged her to look at the girl she had been speaking too earlier. "She is the flower of the seed yet to be planted." Octavia saw her features and Lincoln's in the girl's mask covered form.

"Save my granddaughter, Octavia, before the cold dies." Octavia realized what this meant as her mother spoke. Octavia was looking at her daughter... her and Lincoln's daughter.

"I will find it and bring what Clarke needs." Octavia spoke as she felt Lincoln's lips on her forehead. This was a mission to save the last part of himself that had had to give to her. To save their unborn child.

"May we meet in the next world my love." Octavia let the smell of his warm flesh sink into her.

* * *

 

Octavia awoke with Lincoln's Skaikru jacket covering her and grinned. If it was a vision or a hallucination, it didn't matter. She had a mission. Clarke needed something from the Mountain, she would get it.

For the sake of her unborn child... she would get it.

* * *

 

Clarke walked into her quarters and peeled off her nightgown before moving over to a dresser drawer pull out some clothes. But Valkari was right, Alie had done much wrong to everyone. Though Alie had tried to do it for the right reasons. The faulty computer program wanted to save the world, but the cost had been too high in her own warped way.

Now with the new data on the other shelters that Beka and the others had dug up they might be able to save enough people to make it. Between the trips to the other backup government facility bunkers like Mount Weather back I have been able to narrow down the locations too. They had also discovered another decommissioned government facility that had been set up for the congressional government that had ruled over this part of North America in the time of war. Between those three other facilities another fourth one had been found by Jaha and he was researching the details of it to see if they could use it.

So far from Jaha's research it had been set up by some doomsday cult. Given its size, they were looking at the least getting a significant number of the people from the city Polis along with the surrounding smaller communities within the various 13 nations to safety.

Arkada could hold 100 people for the duration. Agro Station could hold another 300 hundred, most of that would-be Ice Nation along with Floukru and Skaikru to keep it working. Greenbrier a decommissioned bunker for the American senate could at least hold a 1000; Deerspeak, another 800; Blackwoods… She needed work, 900... At worse 500. Four Horseman… estimated about 1000 to 2000… if it was workable.

Clarke moved to scratch under one of her breasts and sighed.

Moving to drop her undergarments Clarke moved to the sink in her room and filled it with water and dropped a cloth into it so that she could wash down some. The previous night's events were enough to be difficult.

Wringing out the cloth enough to leave it significantly wet so that she could at least feel clean, Clarke could still see the faces of the people trapped there in the City of Light. But to some degree Bekka had soothed them and guided them to a point where they could make a difference. The dive into Alie's archives of all of the information she had gathered over the nearly century she had been active had been substantial. Alie was so... short sighted. She had thought there was one answer for everything... This was not a single answer problem to solve! It was a series of problems to be solved!

Clarke moved to stand in a small basin that she had picked up in Polis that she used for occasional quick bathing during her time with Lexa. The few times that Clarke had used it in Polis was to quickly clean herself up after she and Lexa had early morning wake up sex during those few brief weeks they had spent together. Mostly Clarke had done it to throw some suspicion away from Lexa that their relationship was nothing more than two warriors respecting each other.

In truth, Lexa and Clarke's relationship had been far much more. It was like, they had found the missing pieces for themselves in each other. Last night seeing Lexa again, Clarke just hurt.

Clarke just wanted to say the following words: "I miss you." But other priorities had taken prominence over the saying of those simple words to her beloved counterpart.

Clarke started to scrub at her body as she worked her frustrations out. The coarseness of the washcloth forced her to relax as she kept picturing Lexa talking with Ontari. It was seeing Lexa being so far away from her. Clarke's heart screamed in fear and pain. Ontari had spoken to Lexa afterwards that she had a blessing to perform a project on her behalf. Clarke was confused, but Jasper seemed to have understood what the young Commander in training was been made privy to.

Given how tired everyone was Jasper seemed to have shelved the issue until they were rested. Whatever Ontari had spoken to Lexa about seemed to have made Clarke's late lover happy. Clarke had felt that this was something that had taken her out of the loop and it hurt.

Clarke scrubbed harder venting her frustrations on the sweat and dirt on her skin as she scrubbed her back. Clarke's skin and soul screamed before she did as she threw her wash rag into the sink making the small basin full of water splash up across the mirror and wall. Clarke could barely react as the door of her room swung open as a figure raced in ready to do battle with any attacker that might be attacking Clarke. Clarke jumped backwards to see figure standing before her as she quickly raced to cover herself.

"Clarke are you hurt?" Clarke's brain was racing to catch up as he realized it was Niylah. Who was standing in her room... Looking at her being nearly naked. While she had been bathing… and was now soaking wet in front of her: "Friend with Benefits."

"No..." Clarke raced to grab the shirt off of the bed and cover herself with it. "Niylah..." Clarke was doing her best to compose herself as her Trikru friend and friend with benefits looked around her room and blushed a little seeing the Mighty Wanheda being frustrated at not being able to wash at a hard to reach spot on her back. Niylah broke the tension before she started to laugh.

"Clarke... you are you." Clarke felt the levity of the situation as she started to laugh too. It felt good as Clarke looked down at the small tub she was standing in realizing how much of an idiot she must of have looked like before Niylah had burst in. "Must have been some annoying piece of dirt for you to be doing battle with that you became flustered." Clarke sensed that she needed to talk with someone.

"No Niylah, but it wasn't the dirt I was having the problem with." Clarke felt that she needed to talk with her friend. "Close the door." Clarke finished as she watched Niylah close the door to her room.

"Clarke..." Clarke moved to sit on the bed and motioned for Niylah to set next to her. "What is wrong?" Niylah spoke as she sensed that it was personal emotional pain.

"Niylah." Clarke felt Niylah's Hands reach out to her. Clarke tried to fight back her pain, but was failing as the warmth of her friend's touch brought forth a flood of emotions. Niylah moved and kissed her. "Niylah." Clarke responded back breathlessly as the Grounder woman leaned back and grinned realizing that her Friend "with benefits" passion seemed to have taken the edge off of her. Niylah was as uncomplicated as Clarke could get in this world with a true confidant. Someone who would be a shoulder to cry on or a crotch to grind with, Niylah was an island of sanity in an insane world.

"What troubles you so?" Niylah's soft gentle grin towards Clarke made the weeks fall away. Clarke spoke. Pain, hope, sorrow, loss... by the Sacred Tree Clarke had experienced loss. Niylah just listened as Clarke covered the months after the fall of Mount Weather to the last few hours.

Niylah didn't judge her, she just listened.

It had been ages since she had been able to open up like this... To let go of so much of her emotional and spiritual burden that had weighed on her for so long. Niylah just was there being the calm to the storm Clarke was going through.

"So much pain and loss for a world that you felt comfortable in. Lexa... the young Nightbloods... You longed to be Clarke, not of Skaikru, not Wanheda, Not Skai Princess... just Clarke." Niylah showed compassion in eyes that understood the weight of what Clarke was going through. "You found a home with a people who wouldn't judge you of your past or your actions. You just were seen as a warrior and friend who did what was right for your people and for the love of those you deeply cared about. You had it given to you, torn from you and now you seek to rebuild that you cherish most: Kru. All Kru."

"Niylah..." Clarke was stopped as Niylah moved and took the semi soaked shirt Clarke had been covering herself with and laid her back into the bed.

"You have always been Clarke... Even to me. Even when you had your red hair. You are moving through the phases of your people's symbol of the Arwen, and you are becoming stronger for it. Let me give this to you as my gift." Niylah moved over Clarke and removed her shirt and the rest of her clothing before she proceeded to sooth Clarke's pain for a little while as she slowly made love to the Princess of the Sky.

Even Saviors needed to be saved from time to time from their own demons.

Niylah did that as Clarke realized that she didn't want to be alone and for that moment she wasn't.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you all think of this chapter so far.
> 
> Next Chapter: Luna's return
> 
> Leave a review below.
> 
> Hearns
> 
> Terms:
> 
> Kongeda – Coalition
> 
> Praimfaya – The Nuclear Apocalypse


	12. Messages to and from the gods

Luna looked out to see the clouds rising up from her perch on the old oil rig she called home. The sanctuary that she and the others who lived here were coming under attack. This was caused by a foe that was not human, but a disease.

The slow rash of sickness was spreading from person to person. Since the clouds had started to move over her home with their rains several had started to fall ill including herself. That was when she heard the sound of her adopted daughter coughing.

Luna felt her heart sink another level lower into a Hell she had wished never to experience again.

"Mother my hair is coming out." Luna froze in fear as every fiber of her being tore at her soul as she saw her adopted daughter Adria holding handfuls of her hair. The sickness was getting worse and it was spreading. Luna's own child was nearing the point where the sickness had started to claim lives. Whatever this illness was... She needed to seek out a healer...  _In the name of Water goddess Augwa.._. Luna prayed...  _Don't take another member of my family_.

_Not like Boo... to that demon._

_Not like her late brother Gaius through some needless ritual sacrifice._

"Adria..." Luna swallowed hard. "We have to head to the mainland for help." Luna moved to touch her daughter's face as she started to cry. Then Luna started to cough and it scared her to her soul.

_Augwa... are you punishing me for not taking the Flame? Not for listening to Klark of the Sky People about the threat that was coming. Please answer me?_

The sea crashed in noncompliance to Luna's pleas as what needed to be said wasn't in its place to say.

Luna was faced to tell her people that to save them, they had return to the very land that had brought them so much pain.

* * *

 

Emori was shifting some under the weight of a borrowed Skaikru jacket. Emori had always been a little skittish around large numbers of people, but Skaikru... Especially the Delinquents... the Hundred seemed to respect her. Her occasional stealing was tolerated, but they were not angry at her.

The things she stole were not vital, but in her view were important in her attempts to figure out her place among this group. Occasionally one of the Skaikru Warriors would take a look at her. At first she thought it was due to her being a Frikdreina, but it was something else. Walking around she started to sense they were not looking at her hands, but at her. Even with her small collection of stolen items it was as if...

Emori stopped cold.

Stolen items... Emori's thieving ways was what they were wary of... Not her.

The only reason that they left her alone was the fact that probably Murphy had told them about some of her early life.

Having to steal to survive.

The only time Skaikru had gotten angry at her was when she had stolen that golden tipped cable.

It must have been connected to something really important.

Putting it back...Must have gotten some...

Tech...

It was part of their tech. Gold wiring must have been used as part of their tech for controlling something...

It must have made something important function.

Something that was still working in this fallen Sky Ship.

That was covered in Gold!

Lots of GOLD!

They had a treasure... All she needed was to find it.

Emori quickly retraced her steps to where she had stolen that single cable from. It was like tracing it way through vines in a forest, but she had found where it had been connected. Then seeing the large box it had been attached to, Emori started to follow where the rest of these cable vines went.

Skaikru's treasure must have been hidden in plain sight. She must have walked past it several times without realizing it. Hiding in plain sight. Oh... talk about cunning.

Emori started to trace the wires throughout the ship. Some went along hallways, some into closets and under the floor. Emori followed until she hit a room with a lot of tech in it.

Emori stopped.

Monty of Skaikru was working on some tech gear as he started to put pieces of some bracelet together. Emori watched as he sighed. Then he connected the bracelet to some tablet and started to tap on it.

"Reboot number fifteen on BioBand One-Hundred Twelve." Monty spoke as he watched something play out on the tech tablet. There was a beep and he unhooked the bracelet and placed it into a box next to him. The box was filled with several of these strange bracelets nearly to overflowing.

With that Monty got up and stretched and sighed as he looked at a pile of bracelets that were to be assembled.

"One apprentice engineer... one box a smashed bio-bracelets... yeah..." Monty looked at the work that he needed to get done and realized that his day was over. "Harper... I hope that I don't fall asleep on you during sex tonight." Monty moved and covered the boxes before turning off the light and heading out of the door.

Emori saw her chance as she moved back into the room.

Pulling out a small electric hand torch she had scored during one of her earlier explorations, she ignited it. Its light shown around the now darkened room like the sun poking its way through the clouds of a stormy sea.

No gold so far, but whatever this tech was... there were a lot of these cables running into here.

Emori moved over to where Monty had been crafting these bracelets, and saw there was a lot of wire and magnifiers around. Emori glanced over at the completed pile box and took note the number in there. Though not gold, these bracelets seemed to been deemed important. Picking one up, Emori took note of it as its simple form highlighted some grand purpose.

Seeing a clasps on the bracelet, Emori fudged it open.

What Emori saw caught her attention.

The inside of this thing was lined in tech.

A circular section at the top of the bracelet seemed to be made to lay across one's skin.

Segments on the inner part of the damn thing seemed like it was made to be soft and with all of the wires (which were copper and not gold) indicated that this was part of placing tech on one's body.

Maybe this tech was like some of the cards that had been used in the city of light. Some had been used as money while others had been used as keys. Emori had seen some of the bracelets used the same way, especially with some of the ones that Skaikru had used while they were walking around in that cursed place.

If it may have worked there, then maybe Skaikru might be using it here as a means to keep things locked up.

If she took one of these key bracelets, then maybe she could find their treasure here. Looking into the box she moved through the pile to see one that wouldn't be missed... well unless they did a count of them. Given that Monty was more interested in getting them fixed, then maybe she had some time before her crime got noticed.

Picking one out of the box, Emori saw one that felt like her... Well, felt perfect in her eyes given their similar appearance to the others, but the scratches and dents on it screamed her.

But what wrist to place it on?

Emori tended to let people see her good hand, but her "Bad Ass" hand... Emori kept covered up. The hand she kept hidden or the one that everyone would see. They wouldn't think twice to check her good left hand. Though if she messed up, they would take notice of it if her clothing got pulled back.

Bad Ass hand it was.

If caught... she would just say it was a gift from Monty or some other Skaikru member.

Feeling the clasp she moved to place it on and moved to close it.

The bracelet chirped as it went active, which made Emori jump. Then there was a low pulse from it as it started to move with her pulse. The bracelet felt alive as it synced with Emori's body. Emori got up from the chair that Monty had been sitting at and left to find her treasure.

As Emori closed the door, the small computer tablet sprang to life. On its screen, it was receiving the information from the bracelet. Performing a photo genetic scan of her cells, it pulled up known genetic markers within the human genome and built a composite female image made up of Caucasian, Indian/South Asian and Portuguese descent. With further detailed pulled out some medical history, the picture was flushed out.

On the screen shown a woman, without any Kru marks or scars on her body.

But the image was close enough for anyone to realize it was Emori.

**File #** : 3040011

**Name** : Unknown

**Gender** : Female

**Age** : 18 -21 years est.

**Station** : Unknown

**Crime** : Unknown

**Medical Profile** :

Chimeric hybrid profile detected.

Non-Cancerous tissue.

Healthy Cell Structure.

**Note** :

Advanced Hormone levels detected -

Secondary neonatal heartbeat detected -

Subject is in  _First Trimester_!

**Radiation Readings** :  ** _Hazardous_** -

Urgent recommendation that subject to be given emergency iodine treatment to protect pituitary system of unborn child.

* * *

 

The Boat Trip to the shore was the hardest Journey that Luna had taken in a long time.

So far she had to send back to the Sea Mother twelve souls so far and that was before they even left the Rig that they had called home.

Luna thought back to the conversation the Skaikru warrior Bellamy and Klark the Wanheda tried to tell her:

_"Luna, let us explain."_ Klark spoke to her trying to plead her case towards Luna.

_"I said no."_ Luna had spoken.

_"No you need to hear this."_  Bellamy of Skaikru tried to order her to understand. Luna had stood her ground of not wanting violence to come to her people by given them silence.  _"There is something out there that is going to destroy us all."_ Luna just looked at the Skaikru warrior thinking no force could come to her home.

_"Whatever it is, it can't reach us here."_  Those last words now haunted Luna now.

The people of Skaikru were not talking about an invading force.

They were talking about something worse that was on its way to her home.

Did those Demons that had come into her home leave something behind that now was working to slowly kill them?

It if was...

Luna saw Adria groan.

The demons had come to her home.

They had already struck, and like a slowly bleeding wound they were now feeling the effects as they were slowly dying from the wound they had received.

Luna moved to her daughter and now understood the warning Skaikru was trying to warn her about.

This was a foe that was going to kill her and her people just for being in its line of sight. Additionally they were seen as a potential threat to be eliminated because they had a Nightblood in their midst and Luna hoped that they were not being made as an example to the other kru of the land that if you resisted the demons, you would lose.

Luna turned to see that there was a mother grieving.

The demons had claimed their Thirteenth victim.

Luna spoke a prayer to the Sea Mother... then to any other god or goddess that would hear her pleas.

Even to the unnamed god that the Skaikru worshiped to give what remained of her people the strength to survive.

Nyko had gotten word from a Trikru trader that several villages of Floukru Fishermen had gotten sick over the last few days. It was said that the only thing they had common was that they either had come into contact with the recent rain storms, or that they had eaten from their recent catch. Some of the cases needed to be treated by Abbi because of the severity, He could treat the lighter effects of the sickness with the knowledge he had learned to lessen the poison's effects, but some... they would be passing into the next world.

Given that the smoke from the burning poisoned buildings had hit the level of the clouds wasn't good given the current rate of the spread of the sickness.

If this ash was now getting into the fish... Nyko shuddered at the further damage that was going to take place when it hit the rest of the animals in the food chain when the storm season started to set in with the spring weather.

Skaikru was racing against time in making the medicines they needed to combat this crisis. Even with the shelters... it would take years for the toxins to be flushed from the lands. The Red Witch Alie was evil in ways that knew no bounds. Even Demons lived by a code.

She was evil that even the lords of the underworld could not comprehend.

Even in defeat, Alie's name would be known.

Now as he road along the shore, the world was feeling a bit darker and it wasn't due to the clouds. Nyko had started to hear the sound of the insects growing less and less present during his ride. If those animals were starting to die... Then this was bad. The birds, and frogs would be next, then the fish, then the larger animals. Bears, wolves, foxes, starving, driven mad for food, would be attacking anything moving to eat.

Nyko had heard the legends of the first Praimfaya as a child. The long winter that had taken place afterwards was known. The level of death that was spoken of related the years of blight and death. Where cannibalism was almost common until Bekka put a stop to it. Rags, gravel, water, seeds, placed into tubes to make food grow. Nyko would have laughed at that image until he saw how Skaikru grew some of their crops. Now for the next few months or maybe years... they would have to live that way.

Maybe Lincoln was right... Skaikru needed to discover who they were in this land, losing some of their hardness, but also becoming part of nature to expand their view of this world in which they now lived. Abbi had proven to be a respected healer, but when she spent her time learning his healing knowledge, she was his student. Conversely, he was hers when it came to anatomy of treatment some ailments that he had thought non-curable. It was a dialogue, each sharing their knowledge. In the end they seemed to have rediscovered the lost knowledge of both of their people's. Now that shared knowledge was needed to fight this threat before them.

Off in the distance the sound of an old combustion engine was coming his way. On the vessel's side was the clear image of the Floukru crest. Nyko recognized the vessel immediately as this one boat belonged to a single village that he had come across during his travels: Luna's...

The boat was slowly approaching the shore as several individuals were standing near the edge of the vessel speaking.

"We come from Water... In the End we return to water. Today... we..." It was Luna's voice and there was a level of pain to it that he had never heard before.

"Today... we return our sister to the water from which she came." The voice was of a child, who coughed at the end of it.

"Thank you Adria..."

"Mommy... Mind that I help finish the ritual?" Nyko knew that this was something major if Luna was here.

"Okay... Today we return our sister and my friend Gwen back to the Sea Mother. Though sickness has claimed her body, it did not claim her spirit or her soul. May the Fisher of men and women watch over your journey from this world and into the next as you journey back into the accepting arms of Mother Water, Augwa." There was silence as glasses held up in the air and water poured onto the deck of the ship they were on and upon the small body that was on the plank hanging over the edge of the ship.

"May we see you in the next world Gwen." Luna spoke as she helped lift the child's body and instead of tilting over the edge of the ship, moved and carried the child's body to the rear landing of the ship and motherly placed the child's body into the water. The young girl who had spoken the last bit of the ritual came over to Luna and comforted the Floukru leader. After the child's body had slowly descended under the waves the boat slowly started to make its trip to the shore.

Whatever was happening was significant because Luna wouldn't leave her metal island home unless it was something of... When the boat approached the shore and the dissent plank was pulled over the side, Nyko got his answer.

Luna and several of her kru had the markings of the sickness that was spreading over the land.

Nyko got off his horse and announced himself.

The look of worry on Luna's face spoke volumes as Luna stated her situation.

"I am Luna of Floukru... These people are the last of my village. Please help us."

Nyko knew that not all before him would survive the journey. But he knew that only if a few lived, it was a victory.

"I will help. But we must head to the Skaikru... Now... Abbi... please, I pray that you have enough of your healing potions to treat these people." Nyko moved to place three of the weakest on his horse before leading this group onto the trail from which he had come.

* * *

 

Ontari was looking at one of Clarke's old Maps of Mount Weather. It was strange seeing the design of it. To see the levels and design of it being so detailed and practical for the purpose it had. Each level was done as a cavern or underground room that was connected with stairways and tunnels that went from the various structures in the mountain to the outside.

How much the Mountkru had expanded on the preexisting shelter from its original design made her think of what might take place over the next few years if the recent research that Becca had given them panned out. This wasn't just a long winter they were going to be facing, it was one that was going to last a year or two. She knew that people were going to have to expand some of these places to compensate for the growth of the contained population or the need to expand out because of some other unforeseen need.

Shane of Skaikru's weather data from the Ark said so.

The damn storms had come together in a perfect 150 year weather cycle to throw the environment into a mess.

Skaikru had readied for these storms before the mess with Alie to guard their equipment from harm. The storm wouldn't affect people, but the tech... It would hurt, and anyone close to it.

But what about those who had taken Alie's tech, like herself and the other former members of Alie's cult?

Would the Flame be protected from harm?

Would what she saw in the test Abbi had done on the pig, when they put a low powered chip into its head so they could do a simulated solar storm on it to see what would potentially happen.

Ontari was scared to her core as she remembered the outcome from the test that had been performed.

The poor animal had screamed in pain before its heart gave out.

Parts of the structure would have be reinforced to deal with this new phenomenon.

People started to sense the mood as more resources had started to be place into bunker work as well as the work on making the fermenters to create Bekka's hybrid Nightblood formula.

In the next day or so, Ontari would be donating her pint of bone marrow from her hip. So far Augustine, Marietta, Kalakaska, had given their pints for the potion mix. It had taken a day for each one given that they had go slow to prevent the type of trauma that Raven had gone through at the hands of the Mountain Men.

Seeing Harper look over at her and grin, helped soothe her fears. The Skaikru warrior seemed to like her. Warrior hair braids and headband, and just girl talk.

Both girls seemed to have respect for their weapons and talked while they cleaned them.

Ontari's sword Ulfberht, or as Harper called the sword Burt.

Harper's rifle Em'syxt'ty or as Ontari had called it Styxs. Though that wasn't the only weapon Harper had on her, there were two others, Glock a small personal firearm, and a short Rifle that she carried on her daily patrols named Ache Kay.

But it was Em'syxt'ty Harper saw as her baby, as it was her trophy from the capturing it from the Mountain Men. It was the rifle equivalent of a Long Sword. Complicated, violent, hefty, mean, yet with a personality that Harper understood. The weapon liked her. It would help her slaughter all her foes before her with accuracy and fire.

It was an army killer.

Harper had fought the warrior who had been its original owner and taken it from him. Made it obey her by touching it right, it had liked her as it wouldn't shoot her. She had used the weapon's hilt to bash in its former owner skull before using it to free her friends from the mountain.

One shot, one kill.

Sixty shots at her disposal... Harper made each one count.

Ontari was impressed with this.

But it was Harper's own curiosity about Ontari's own blade that had made the two talk.

Ulfberht, a blade forged from ancient design, metal, bone and glass, made Harper respect the weapon.

As Ontari had told the story of her blade, there was respect forged in understanding that though the blade was a gift... it showed the artistic skill that some warriors liked to have placed upon their blades.

For Harper it was almost magic to see the skill placed upon an item such as this.

For Skaikru, their weapons were made to be efficient, clean, no individuality. Interchangeable, multi-function and heavily salvageable.

Ontari had seen one of Skaikru's combat axes, and the damn thing though small... was a item to be reckoned with. Weight cut out of its head to make it lighter and to strengthen it like crazy. Balance... Most knives were heavier on one end, but that damn thing could be swung or thrown with the accuracy of a blade half its weight.

Ontari's storytelling help take their minds off of the coming storms coming their way.

Perfect Storms like Sandy or the No-Name.

No-Name... who would name a character in a book that?

Well if you were an Assassin... It worked.

_"He was slain by No-name."_ Ontari thought out the possible line in the book to which that would show up.

That brief levity cheered her up some, but the matters of the world brought her back to the here and now.

Twenty-six storms, each linked to the oncoming solar wind event they were in the middle of. Each storm was migrating their way like damn birds and fish, each of these storms had been named in accordance to some ancient Floukru tradition that Skaikru had adopted during their exile from the Mother Earth. These names and the tradition of naming them she was trying to understand so that she didn't look like a fool when she had to explain it to the citizens of Polis. But given where Skaikru's villages had been originally, maybe sending word to the Floukru was their way to ensure some trade deal with them in the future.

So far they were on Khaleesi.

Khaleesi... A popular girl's name from long ago and also the name of some queen of some far-off land.

From the readings, the storm had died up off the coast of a place called Maine.

That wasn't the only bad news. Throw in the rest of the weather crap: A Mini-Ice Age coming up combined with a loss of Ozone in the upper sky which would be deadly to plants if significant cloud cover didn't last over some places.

Clouds deep with rain were going to kill the land, but only deep cloud cover would protect it from harm. The only hope was that if the ash from the burning building had enough carbon in it to turn the rain to acid so that the land would be saved. Yes it would be black rain, but it would be the only way to destroy the toxic radiation.

Ontari had seen the map of the previous storm migration from the past few years with their rough start and end dates, and it as Murphy stated: "It sucked." If one crisis didn't kill them another would.

So far they needed to configure sections of these bunkers to protect against the upcoming solar surge, or many people would die or be driven mad by the effects of this on their system.

Copper masks would help keep out the damage, but to be stuck like that for years until the storm passed... was frightening.

Clarke's map of the old shelter showed that the Mountain Men had also dealt with this problem.

As more maps were being created and brought in, Ontari and the other members of the Coalition were sorting through which villages would be heading to what shelters.

Clarke had done a good job in sorting through the population census that Lexa had ordered after the events of Mount Weather.

Ontari may have hated her predecessor at times, but in this situation Lexa was thinking ahead and was lucky that this bit of information was going to be useful. Ontari hoped that the shelter information would be her contribution to saving all of the Kru of these lands.

The last thing Ontari wanted to be remembered for as being the one who nearly destroyed the world.

Turning to see Emori walk through the large central hall of Arkada as she headed to the kitchen made her think of her and Jasper's own relationship. Emori was a Chimera... not a Freakdrrina and in some of the Skaikru legends Ontari was able to learn of Chimera's were seen as a sign of Fertility among them. Emori's deformed hand was a result of her not getting medical treatment as a child to treat the bone fusion that had taken place in her hand. Ontari had looked through one of Abbi's medical texts and found that Emori's hand would have needed just a simple cutting of the flesh between her fingers and a chisel to break the connections between the fused bones and Emori would have led a normal life. At her age now, the damage was irreversible in undoing it, but as a symbol of fertility... Emori was up there next to the Venus mother Emma. Though the entire sex thing with Murphy was a bit of sticking point between them. However Emori wanted a smooth break from her and Murphy. Ontari agreed. Ontari had Jasper now and Emori had her man Murphy... Prince of the Rebels.

Shit... Ontari needed to feel something other than loss and being tired given the last few nights. Between the few times she was able to "Fuck the Pain away" with Jasper between her legs. She wanted to become a better person. Maybe one day she would become a Mother of a child. Ontari wanted to be known as a person though flawed, was one person that was doing her best to be a leader that was respected by her actions from this day forward. Not by the circumstances of her past.

There was a sense that she was shaping a better world for her people, and that didn't just mean the Ice Nation.

Ontari was glad that she was learning to become a healer... The size of her sword had changed but the raw battle experience she was learning... No wonder Wanheda was a force to be reckoned with.

A battlefield was a battlefield no matter what its size was.

That was when a call came over the speakers.

**_"We need some medical help at the front gate. Looks like we got some sick people there."_ **

* * *

 

Murphy was working in the kitchen. This was a world he liked being in. Spices, herbs, meats, vegetables, oils and rubs. Mostly. He was doing something that was being helpful. Yeah, Murphy could be doing other things, but this was what he felt comfortable with as it kept him out of trouble and the paths of incessant Commanders and Politicians.

Given the mess that the previous Flamekeepers had left in their wake... Murphy was lying low. Mostly it was his way to let Ontari, Clarke, and Roan work out the politics of what to do next. Yeah... he had knowledge, but mostly he wanted to make sure that people didn't see him as a threat. So being on cooking detail, was a good compromise. It allowed him to use the skills that he had learned here on the ground as well back on the Ark before he had been incarcerated.

Emori liked how he cooked. But since last night, Emori seemed to be preoccupied with something. Her Kleptomaniac thievery was getting bad at times, but it would be manageable if he helped guide it some. That was when Monty showed up holding a computer tablet.

"Murphy..." the young Agro station tech spoke as he moved into the kitchen area. "How are you and Emori doing?"

Between the stew he was working on, he was in the process of chopping the vegetables. A good pair of chain mesh gloves was a good thing to have given the sheer volume he was working with. Having bought a pair from a Floukru merchant while he had been in Polis had come in handy given the number of times it had saved his fingers so far today.

Monty wasn't into your standard chit chat, but the tone of his voice sounded important as Emori came up.

Monty shifted some as he looked down at the tablet. Then back to Emori.

"Monty... what is going on? Got some prank planned with Jasper?" Murphy spoke as Monty cleared his throat.

"Not exactly... John... did you score one of the old monitor bracelets that we used to wear when we came down?"

"Why are you asking?" This is when Emori approached. The band on her gloved hand spoke that though concealed it was close to her skin. Murphy saw the bracelet on Emori's wrist as she slyly snaked around him.

"How is my Ramsey doing?" Emori spoke was she saw Monty looking at her.

"Good... Monty..." Murphy looked over to see that young tech was reaching over to hand some salt to him. "Why are you asking if Emori should have a bracelet?"

"Because... John..." Monty shifted as he changed his approach to the situation. "Remember Phoenix who came down with us?" Murphy remembered the girl who had been part of that original group of delinquents. She tended to stick near Clarke and some of the gathers that were near camp. Other than that, her boyfriend Wolf was one of the Gunners under Belliamy's command.

"Yeah... I remember the girl." Murphy spoke as Emori glared the look of: _Not another wench you have slept with John, do I have to hurt you now!_  Murphy was doing his best not to get castrated by the woman he loved as he cleared his throat and motioned for Monty to continue.

"Well... The readings I am getting off of Emori's bracelet match her's... I mean... match her's in what she was when we landed." Murphy looked concerned. In the weeks he had been back Phoenix had not been seen. There had been stories that she and her... Murphy's brain stopped cold. Phoenix had been pregnant, the image of her ever growing rounded belly slammed into his brain with the force of a Grounder Anvil being flung through the air to crush its foes via catapult.

Phoenix had left Arkada with her baby when Pike came to power. There were rumors that she had headed to TonDC or Polis to raise her child in peace. Since Wolf's death and the constant political messes, Phoenix just wanted to live in peace with her child. Now looking at how Monty was talking... Murphy had to start talking... just to make sense of it and to pull himself back to reality.

"Wait... you mean... that Emori..." Monty handed Murphy the tablet with the image of a non-scared and tattooed free face that was on the screen.

The unknown personal information Monty hadn't filled in, but the medical warning information hit John Murphy in the gut.

He was going to be a father...

Emori was going to be a mother.

A round belly mother with his child.

He and Emori were going to be parents!

Monty wasn't handing him the salt shaker as a hint to season the food.

Monty was handing it to him to give to Emori to protect their child. The blinking warning only emphasized the weight of the situation to him.

Boosting the iodine levels in her body so that their child would hopefully not endure the curse of being a Freakdrrina.

Ever since Murphy had lost Emori to Alie's cult all those weeks ago, only to get her back at such a high cost, he had not been that scared till that moment.

Had his father felt this way when he made the decision he did to steal the medicine to save his life?

Then another blow took place that was far worse than anything that Titus had thrown at him.

When the P.A system went off with an announcement.

Murphy realized that he now had two people to protect now. Emori and their unborn child. The two most precious treasures he had in this world.

* * *

 

Clarke was sprinting through the hallways of Arkada next to her mother after they had heard the call over the P.A system. Jackson was back in the medical bay prepping it for new arrivals. For the last few days, they had been slowly moving the more able bodied individuals out of the infirmary. Some of the people that were still around were the ones that had been the most injured from Alie. It would take time for them to leave, but some... it was a wait and see if the damage done to them was irreversible.

Abby had used her connection through Nyko to get some of the more traditional healing herbs and compounds she needed to supplement their medical supplies.

Even Jasper and the other chemists in Arkada were working hard to make the meds she needed.

Ontari at times worked at the grinding the needed items when she wasn't fulfilling her duties.

Maybe it was the fact that she had brought this mess into Polis and the rest of the Nations she was going to be leading that had forced this change. Passing into the main hall Ontari turned to look at them as she started to place several heavy cups, books and stones on the documents she had been working on. So far Ontari had been looking over some of the old maps Clarke had done of Mount Weather to get a sense of some of the structures that the people she and her people were going to be living in over the next few months. But there was a sense that Ontari was becoming a leader that was respected for her skills in this crisis. A field medic... well... she was getting there. Maybe because of the events that had taken place during their trip to the Singularity to speak with Bekka and the other Commanders Ontari seemed to have thrown herself into her studies as a healer.

But the conversation that Ontari had with Lexa still chewed at the back of her mind, but Clarke understood that Ontari would come to her when it was time. Though the Ice Nation/Trikru woman Emma seemed to be the key to solving this problem as Ontari seemed to have let her in on something in relation of this.

Ontari turned and moved to join them as the three women headed out of the door followed by Murphy who seemed to almost be on the offensive.

Something had placed a fire under his ass and whatever had come up looked to have scared the crap out of him.

Heading to the main gate of Arkada Clarke got a good look at the number of guards surrounding it.

Approaching the gate, they saw Nyko with a group of very sick people.

The Guard on duty didn't know Nyko was a friend, but considering that the healer had his hands full trying to keep a young woman standing as she was struggling to keep moving.

**"** Do not come any closer." the guard spoke as he was trying his best to control the situation.

**"** Please. They need Skaikru medicine." Nyko called out as he realized that this member of Skaikru was scared witless and the last thing they wanted as someone being shot dead by accident.

**"** Move. Stand back." Bellamy called out to both groups which bought some time for everyone to pause so that Clarke or her mother could see who was at Arkada's gates.

**"** Nyko." Clarke called out realizing who was leading this group of individuals.

**"** What if it's a grounder attack like they did with Murphy?" Miller spoke aloud. Most of the original delinquents like him and Clarke remembered how Murphy had been strung up after being tortured and infected with a hemorrhagic virus so that it would weaken them before a larger forced could attack right after Clarke and the rest had first landed. It was the viral warfare imagery that had stuck with many of the delinquents that situations like this were very hard to overcome even when peace had taken place between Trikru and Skaikru.

Yes there those among the other villages and tribes that would go that far for the quest for vengeance for what Pike would have done... that didn't count for the blame that Skaikru got for the destruction of the City of Light and the ushering in the new Commander.

But this was Nyko... he was a friend.

**"** What happened to them?" Clarke spoke concerned. The Healer seemed out of breath as if the rush to get here almost cost him his own life.

"The sickness. We lost more than 40 on the way." a young child vomited in the arms of a woman with extremely fluffy reddish brown hair. It took a moment for Clarke to recognize the woman.

"Luna?" Bellamy spoke as she started to move forward. The name started to echo throughout the residents of Arkada. The look of  _Oh... Crap... this is Lincoln's friend_ , flowed through the crowd.

**"** Please don't turn us away because of what I did to you." Luna looked like she was on the verge of begging for Clarke to save the remnants of her Kru. Whatever had happened they were looking at a plague attack, but not on them! Had Alie resorted to using plague warfare to eliminate anyone who could use the flame?

This is when Clarke's mother pushed her way through.

**"** Out of my way. Please let me through." Dr. Abigail Griffin approached one of the sick and started to take note of the symptoms that the patients had afflicted before them.

**"** Mom, what is this?" Clarke spoke sensing that this was not the standard viral attack that had been done to Luna and her people.

"Fever, lesions, vomiting." Abby spoke as she recognized the symptoms before her. "It's ARS." It wasn't some new disease that Abby hadn't come across, it was one that Abby had dealt with on the stations.

**"** What's ARS?" Bellamy spoke up concerned as he saw the devastation of this disease.

"Acute radiation sickness." Clarke's felt the blow to her gut. Most of Skaikru and the original Hundred sensed it too. Ontari looked like she was scared realizing that whatever was taking place was far more dangerous than the non-Slaikru around her. This was the first volley in the battle to save the people she was to rule over and it had arrived on the land. Everyone present became quite to allow the elder healer to work. "When did the symptoms start?" Abby spoke to Luna. Luna sensed that Abby was trying to figure out how long they had been exposed and the amount they had been in contact with this poison that was ravaging their bodies.

**"** Not sure. Right before the fish started dying." Luna spoke as concern started to spread among the group who knew how toxic this stuff was.

**"** The fish are dying?" Raven looked scared. All of the work and calculations they had for riding this out had been wrong or something had changed to speed up the Radiation Spread.

**"** Floating on the sea to the horizon in every direction." Nyko spoke giving how far this threat was approaching. Abby looked at the lesions and their size as she asserted that the spread of the contaminant was limited internally.

**"** It's not contagious. Let's get them to medbay." Abby spoke as she moved to pick a young girl up that had been in Luna's arms. "Come on." Abby rose up as several more people started come to aid the senior medical officer as Luna seemed to relax some sensing that she would not lose those close to her. Luna seemed to be saying something in Trigedasleng that had to do with the sky. It sounded very much like a prayer.

**"** I got you. Ok. All right. There you go." Raven spoke as she moved to help Luna up as more Skaikru moved to help bring the people into the Camp.

**"** It's already here." Clarke spoke sensing that their time had run out and their war against this invisible foe had now started.

* * *

 

Luna had never thought that Clarke would forgive her, but right now that didn't matter. Adria's cough was getting worse. The healer terms that Abby spoke of stated that before the night was out several more would be lost to this sickness. Some of the cases before them were in the treatable phase given their exposure to this radiation stuff, others were on borrow time. Luna felt sick to her stomach and it wasn't due to the sickness spreading through them.

She felt sick because she had failed her people.

Several individuals including herself had a strange needle with a tube attached to it dripping some potion into their veins. Occasionally something would be injected into a branch of it. So far all of them had been given some blue tinted potion. Whatever it was... it seemed to make the lesions go away some, but the vomiting still took place. Adria seemed to vomit the most at times, but that was from her view of things as she had not left her own daughter's side as she leaned over her own bucket to lose the contents of her stomach. The rank smell of fish flowed from it. The very poisoned fish that had stricken her people.

There were several individuals who looked to be from various Krus. One of them was a girl from the Ice Nation, but it the Trikru boy who looked a bit like Lincoln caught her attention as he worked with the various Skaikru healers in treating her people.

"Liam... I need a little help here." The Ice Nation girl called out as she was monitoring the pulse on the woman she was working on. The Scar pattern looked to be uneven. Like one pattern had been started, stopped, and then started again by another person. The symbol on her forehead looked to be a flame. The only time that would have happened was if the child's clan had been wiped out or she had been traded as a slave.

"Coming Boudica." the boy Liam spoke up as he moved over to join her. Joining her they checked the woman as the strange potion was being administered.

"Liam... looks like some of Bekka's gene therapy processes seems to be working." The Ice Nation girl Boudica seemed a bit relaxed some, but there was worry on her scarred face.

"But there is something more?" Liam spoke as he moved to check the woman's pulse.

"Crap... you are right." Liam moved to grab some listening instrument from around his neck and placed it over the woman's heart. "Pulse is slowing down... and her breathing... Help me sit her up." the young healer moved to lean the woman up. "Abby... Clarke... I think we are having a reaction here!" The two other healers moved to join them.

There were bits of conversation taking place as they looked over the woman. There was something wrong...

Abby moved to take note and reached over to pull something from a drawer near the bed.

"Crap... her body is crashing from the strain on it. I need you to run a nutrient line into her stomach and grab me that respirator mask." Abby spoke as she motioned for Clarke to grab a strange mask with a strange bulb on it.

"'Tari..." Abby called the Ice Nation girl, this was a different name then she had been called earlier, but it may have been a variation of it. Boudicatari. "I need you to place this mask over the woman's mouth and squeeze the bulb here to give her extra oxygen." The Ice Nation girl nodded in agreement as she took the mask and started to pump it over the woman's face. Abbi moved to inject something directly into the woman's arm. Luna didn't understand the name of the medicine the healer was giving the woman but the reaction seemed not immediate, but it was worrisome.

"Mom..." Clarke spoke as she took note of the situation.

"The woman's body is under a lot of strain." Abby of Skaikru spoke as she sighed. "I have given her something to help ease the symptoms for now."

"Is she going to die?" Boudica spoke as she squeezed the tube on the mask.

"Don't know... it is her fight. All we can do is aid her in getting through it."

"Then it is a one on one battle between her and death." Abby nodded.

"Just make sure that she is still able to breathe. She needs every last breath she can get to make it through." The look on the Ice Nation girl's face was understood. Though this wasn't her battle alone... she was making sure that it was won... or at least the woman had a fighting chance to get away from the swimming death that was after her.

Luna watched as one of her fellow Floukru quietly pass as the blanket was pulled over his head.

The swimming death had taken another one of her group and Luna for the first time vomited with the pain felt with grief and failure.

* * *

 

* * *

 

Murphy was walking through Arkada.

He was going to be a father...

Praimfaya was coming.

Which one hit the hardest?

The need to protect life...

Had his father thought this way knowing that he would be floated for making the right decision to protect his family?

Would making the same sacrifice his father did to save his life make him any different?

When did your own need for survival get overwritten by the need to make sure that your child saw another day?

The sound of coughing caught his attention as he realized that he was near the infirmary area of the Ark...

"Crap." Murphy spoke as he looked into the room to see the sick, he knew the ailment that was killing them. Years earlier he had been stricken by the same thing.

ARS.

Murphy had been stricken by it when he was a child. That girl was maybe a bit older than he was when he had been caught outside of his parents quarters during a solar flare while he was playing a game of hide and seek. The lesions, the upset stomach, his mother crying and yelling at his father. That day broke his mother. That day his father made the decision that got him floated. Murphy hadn't understood that decision until he saw that girl lying in that bed.

"Mummon... I am scared." The woman with the fluffy red hair with blonde tips looked at the girl with fear in her eyes as she attempted move from her own bed to the child's.

The Trikru tattoos on her upper arms spoke volumes as she willed herself with almost superhuman strength to move from one bed to the other. The mother embraced her child and held her tight. Then she looked at Murphy with the same look that his own mother gave his father on that day so long ago when he had been in that same bed.

"Save our child!" The woman spoke in Grounder. But no translation was needed to be understood between them.

If Murphy had believed in a god... That thought left his mind as a force on-high presented itself. This was the slap across his face as he was lifted off his feet by the collar by that entity to state with a growl:

**_"JOHN MURPHY... MOVE YOUR FUCKING ASS AND HELP THIS WOMAN... NOW!"_ **

He didn't need to be told twice.

This was a god. It was pissed. And it wanted John Murphy to do its will.

With that Murphy went into action to do something extremely stupid that might get him killed.

He was on a mission from a god.

* * *

 

Emori didn't like to be tailed, but Monty was keeping her within his sights.

It had been an entire day since she had been wearing this damn thing and that mess which had happened at the gates... something had John worried.

This had her on edge...

Something was up and it had to do with this Phoenix girl... With that she decided to find out.

John and Monty had talked about that girl... whatever had happened to her...

Was there something wrong with her?

Did the bracelet discover something about her that made Murphy worried?

Did this Phoenix suffer from some ailment that cost her life?

Emori's mouth started to taste like she had been sucking on a sword or a knife.

Then she saw John...

There was a look in his eyes...

The only time that she had seen a drive like that was during her time she had been under the control of Alie...

It scared her...

"Emori..." John spoke as he moved to embrace her.

Now she was worried as he held onto her.

"John... is there..." Emori was cut off as he shook in her arms.

"We need to do something now!" John spoke as she took her by the hand and nearly dragged her down the hallways of Arkada. Emori was scared as John seemed almost possessed not unlike how she had been back in the City of Light. But this was much more terrifying.

As they moved through a section they saw Raven doing some inventory in a store room. Emori had passed this place over several times thinking it was not important. Who would want to raid food stuffs? Other than the dried meat she had stolen a few weeks ago along with some dried fruit turnovers she hadn't really thought about this place.

Given John's tension in his body, her lover seemed like he was about to pounce upon anyone who would try to get in their way.

"John..."

"Emori take your shirt off!" John spoke as Emori had to blink a few times.

" _You want to make love in this place?_ " Emori spoke going back to her native tongue.

"No... I need a distraction!" Emori grinned a little worried. They were going to steal something! Emori heeded as she started to work off her shirt. This was getting scary and a bit exciting as John grabbed her and started to walk her backwards into the room. John moved to take off his own jacket as he leaned to kiss and drink her in.

"Okay... You know that I am doing inventory in here Murphy!" Raven called out insulted as she started to walk over. John was working off Emori's leggings as he had pulled off his own shirt.

Just as Raven moved to leave... John hauled off and Punched Raven across the face as Emori's leggings had hit the floor. Emori had to blink a few times to realize what John had done as she was standing there naked in the store room.

Raven attempted to get up but John punched Raven in the face again leaving the Skaikru Mechanic and Sorceress unconscious on the floor.

Emori jumped a little scared as she bumped hard into a set of shelves. The rattle caught John's attention as he turned to look at her. The look of worry in his eyes made her that much more scared.

"Emori are you alright!" John's reaction seemed to almost be fanatical as he was almost caught between her concern and whatever this mission was. Taking a necklace with a locket attached to it out of his pocket, John wrapped its chain around his hand before he moved to look around the room as he handed Emori back her shirt. After a moment of looking around John found some adhesive rope and started to tie up Raven.

"John... What is going on?" Emori looked around the room. Whatever was in this room... John wanted.

Emori just stood there naked or nearly naked as the day she was born. But her fear was overriding her need for modesty.

Occasionally John would stop to look at her with worried eyes. It was like he was fighting doing something that would hurt her. The same voice like Alie's would creep in and force him back to the task that he had been commanded to do.

"Raven... forgive me for what I have to do." John said as he bound the woman's feet and wrists with the flat sticky rope before he placed a piece over Raven's mouth. After he did that he moved to checking the shelves. It only took moments for him to find a specific bottle on a shelf full of medical supplies. Emori pulled her leggings up around her naked bottom and started to follow John to a table.

Her mouth was going dry and the taste of metal was whiffing off of the top of her mouth.

John had cleared off a section of the table as best as he could as he poured out the contents of the jar and started to count the dark pills before him.

John repeated the process twice before taking two of the pills and placing them into the locket and placing it around Emori's neck.

"Emori... If anyone asks about the pill... don't answer... If Abby asks about the pills, only tell her that you have them and that I gave them to you under terms that you will give them to her only when Monty is present with the data from your bracelet."

Bracelet? Data?

"John... Is... Some force like Alie..." Emori was scared... Emori reached for her concealed knife that she had in her pocket.

"Emori... this is my free will... Just... Just I have to do this." John moved to embrace her. Emori sensed that he was about to do something stupid... Then John touched her and took the knife from her.

"John..." Emori felt John touch her belly and bit his mouth. Emori attempted to do a seduction move to at least make John drop his pants. Emori moved and dropped her pants as she hopped onto the table. Emori may have lacked upper body strength but that didn't mean that she couldn't use her legs and thighs to keep him put. If she used her sleep cloth to knock him out... Then maybe she could find out what was wrong with John.

"You stole my heart Emori... I would do anything for you."

"I'm not a thief. I'm just really good at acquiring things that aren't mine."

"You acquired my heart. Now I must do something to steal back my soul so that I can share it with you." John moved to cup one of Emori's breasts. John learned in to kiss her. Emori attempted to move with her sleep cloth from her cloved hand that she had made out of herbs for John to breathe in but was poked with something in her leg.

"John..." John was thinking the same thing as she had... But he had been faster than her. Then blackness came.

* * *

 

Luna had seen several more of her kru die in the past hour. The Skaikru healers were fighting the battle. Even the Ice Nation girl seemed to have been pushing forward. One of the people she had been tending to had died. To say that she was not taking the defeat will was an understatement. It was only when Liam of Skaikru had taken her outside that he had forced her to go through the healers defeat ritual that she was able to relax some. Maybe having her realize that she had to understand that she had to learn as much from the defeat as well as her victories was a bitter pill to take.

After a moment she had to compose herself before Liam let her back into the healers room so that she might use her enemies action to maybe help save the life of another soul under her care.

Adria seemed to be the next one that Death was coming for...

Luna prayed again...

_I give myself... to the miracle... of the sea._

_I give myself... to the strength... of the earth._

_I give myself... to the hope... of the heavens._

_I give myself... to the life... of nature._

_I give myself... to the fate... of the winds._

_I give myself... to..._

That was when I young man with dark slicked back hair walked into the room. His face was rough and bore the look of someone who had been through much... Eyes that had seen too much. He handed a bottle to Abby and the woman looked to be shocked to see what it was.

It looked to be one of the bottles that the Skaikru kept their medicine in.

"John..." Abby spoke when she realized what it was.

"Save the girl!" the man John spoke as he moved to take a chair and sat down as Abby opened it to look at the contents. "There are forty-eight in there." he answered. "Counted twice... you know why I did what I did. Work now... save the girl." Abby responded as she moved to take a pill from the bottle.

"Luna... Help me get your daughter's head up." Abby grabbed a glass of water and had her daughter take the medicine. Adria seemed weak from the simple action, as Luna looked at John. With a smug grin he spoke.

"A voice said to do this. It was very blunt... I got the point." With that he leaned forward and watched over her and her daughter.

It took some time, but Adria seemed to have started improving.

A little while later a Trikru woman who was helping out one of the other healers called out.

"I think we got a break here." Luna turned to see that a young man who had come with them from the Rig had started to recover.

"The woman I am working on seems to be doing better." The Ice Nation girl spoke as she tapped the drops to flow faster from the black potion that they were giving her people. Unlike the battle she had lost earlier, she was keeping her head in the game to ensure that her foe was put down for sure.

Whatever had happened had shifted the tide to battle against death.

It proceeded for the next hour as more of her Kru started to survive.

Luna turned to look at the young man.

"What is your name?"

"John Murphy of the Hundred of Skaikru... Former Apprentice to that Flamekeeper asshole Titus... And someone who will be in a whole lot of trouble and probably will be floated for what I did. But it was the right thing to do."

Floated?

She was unsure if he was speaking a term of Skiakru in Gonasleng, but she didn't care if he had been sent by the gods... he had given her hope. A sliver of it, but hope nonetheless.

"I am Luna of Floukru..." John just grinned.

"I am in good company... Thank you for being one of the four people that could piss that asshole off. He hated you slightly more than me, Clarke, and Ontari combined." It was as if he sensed that it was fate driving them together.

"Would you like to hear how Alie and Titus rigged the game?"

"What game?"

"Denying you the flame!"

That was when several guards came into the room along with two women who looked a little worse for wear.

"John... what did you do..." The woman from one of the Nomadic Kru's turned to see that some action took place.

Abby handed the bottle back to dark skinned Skaikru woman.

"We only used one pill on the girl." Abby told them.

"John..." The girl from the nomads spoke as she saw a look in the young man's eyes.

"I did what I needed to do... I did the right thing. Abby knows why I did it. If you are here to lock me up for attacking you, fine. I am not going to resist." Several Skaikru guards stood by the doorway.

"Does this have to do with Phoenix?" The girl spoke.

"It does... If you want to know why... Have Monty bring his tablet with the readings he was showing me and have Abby explain what they mean." That was when John got up and walked over to the guards and he left the room with them.

Luna had been left more confused than ever. And like the others in the room there was a story to tell... For the time being Luna thanked the gods that her daughter had been saved, though the price that it may have cost might be this young man's life.

Luna prayed again, but this time for the young man who had helped to save the life of her daughter that they may watch over him and protect him.

* * *

 

Emori had sat in the room confused.

John had stolen medicine to save the young girl in the healer's quarters.

When the reasons hit her ears, her world flipped upside down.

Raven had let her keep the two pills that John had given her.

She was going to be a mother...

That scared her... But what John had done had left her in the clear for his actions.

Maybe it was the reason if anyone had asked that they were going to have celebratory sex of being parents.

But seeing Luna and her daughter Adria and learning of John's past. Maybe John had felt too much in that one moment. Seeing Luna being in the same position that his mother had been as a child. The same ailment that was striking her child that had stuck him and the decision that his father made in getting the cure to him.

The decision that had cost his father his life.

Skaikru had been a very stringent people in their ways during John's childhood to the point of killing any criminal who stole from the Kru as a whole.

Emori didn't know if she was more scared of them now or Luna... Luna, who despite being a Nightblood had made her peace with Emori and had become an older sister to her.

Luna sensed that John was trying to put things right… make things right for the wrongs done by his people to him and the rest of the Hundred.

Emori was now part of a Kru, the Hundred-kru. To a point Raven, who had been the most vocal about punishing John Murphy, had relaxed her anger given extraordinary circumstances of why he had done what he had done.

This was a mess of old wounds and sins committed by the Sky People that was in the process of being set right.

John would be in the cells for the next few days for his actions on Raven and herself. But as Emori rubbed her belly she felt scared, angry, happy, confused, horny, upset, sad, worried all through this.

A Mother…

She didn't know… They had made love several times, but the most passionate had been in her cave hideout. Gods… that was a fucking great time… that was when it hit her. John didn't just love her... he would fight for her… and now their child.

Emori had seen the reading slowly beep out with a thump.

A precious little life that was now growing inside of her John had considered so important that he was willing to do a theft to ensure he/she/they lived.

This is when Luna decided to walk with her some.

Somehow the treatment had helped restore her enough that for the time being she was working at getting another roll of thread to sew up the burial cloths. Luna still had a crew to mourn for, but she still had a crew. Not many, but given the number it was ironic that it was the same number she had started with: Thirteen. That didn't count the number that were living in Polis or were helping the Skaikru set up the shelters through the various lands. Thirteen survivors of the Rig. It wasn't much but it was enough for her to start again.

Adria was sleeping now and Luna just needed to breathe some as she needed to move. Getting the thread from the storeroom seemed to be a simple act of clearing their minds.

Given the turbulence of the last few hours hearing Luna's voice chant the following words made Emori think back to the time she and John had spent on her boat.

_I give myself... to the miracle... of the sea._

_We come from the water, we return to the water._

_For every storm that rises… may gentle rains and winds come to those who need them._

Emori concurred.

For this coming storm there needed to be a time of peace and rebuilding.

Life, Death and Rebirth.

Fall, winter, spring.

She wanted a better world for herself and her child. Maybe she would get it even if she had to steal it from the grasp of Death itself.

* * *

 

Olivia was walking through the streets of Polis with Monty. The fifteen-year-old former Delinquent was still coming to terms of her present life. The streets were still red with bloodstains in places, but things were slowly shifting towards getting supplies to the various bunkers. Word had slowly gotten out and later confirmed when word about what Alie had set up as her last act of spite. Some people were sick, others were angry, the rest were... well coming to terms that if they were to live, they would have to start working together to survive. There still had been some anger towards Skaikru, but Roan and a few others had become the voice of reason. The only reason that Alie had attacked Skaikru first was to get into their pre-Praimfaya archives to find and destroy the Commander's flame. Polis being the next place that held an archive of information was her next stop in her search. At the rate Alie had been going, she would have headed towards any place that had a large enough population and library of knowledge to claim under her control.

Her poisoning the land was her act of spite. Luna and those living on her Oil Rig home had been her weapons test to see how effective her poisoning would be. Well that was the scuttlebutt floating around. Olivia didn't doubt that. But Bekka's cure had worked. Now it was up to them rev up the production to make enough for everyone before the Praimfaya got here.

For the first time wearing one of the delinquent monitor bracelets that Monty and Raven had pieced back together only gave her some comfort. Sienna had rubbed some rough white war paint on the sides of her face so that she would look more  _Grounder_. Most of the Arkers didn't like the way the Delinquents had gone Grounder, but they didn't have to deal with these people on a daily basis.

Fuck them... Bellamy's speech was right from all of those months back... Their outcast children were not Arkers, they were Grounders... They were Skaikru! They would fight, they would die, and they would live for each other. Shit... This was her home now. She wasn't going to let anyone or anything take it from her. Praimfaya was on her shit list of things that she was going to help in kicking its fucking ass to hell that it would bare the marks of her boots permanently etched on its behind.

Occasionally she saw some warrior want to glare at her, others... well showed a sympathetic eye to her. A few times Olivia had been spat on, but it was in reference of her being mistaken for Klark the Wanheda. To commiserate, being blonde and Skaikru made you a target. No wonder Clarke had dyed her hair red during her time in the woods after the mess with Mount Weather. Between the pair of combat tomahawks she had sheathed on her back, Olivia was doing her best to look non-threatening among these people. Go Tribal... go Grounder... Be brave and aggressive, be prepared, arrange things so that you can return, strengthen the group when and where you can.

A kind Trikru woman with blonde hair had moved to help wipe the spit from Olivia's hair with a cloth she had. Now the woman was walking with her now trying to get a sense of the young girl next to her. It was strange, but the woman appeared to sense that she was not like her Arker parents. But Olivia's body tension screamed what she was thinking as the events of the last day or so had played out again and again in her mind.

"Young Skaikru... you must be worried for your people?" The woman spoke.

"And Your's too..." Olivia spoke in native Grounder. This made the woman blink a few times. Maybe she was expecting the response to be done in what the Grounders called Gonasleng.

"Such a mess being made over such a little thing." The woman seemed to be searching out Olivia's views or stances on a matter as they passed a large banner picturing the I.A. unit that was the Commander's Flame. The woman must have been part of a group of Trikru that didn't so much think of the Flame as being magical, just made from a knowledge lost to them.

"The Flame... yeah... Becca made the damn thing to help aid those who had it could rebuild the world. Though 'Tari seems to understand that it is a mantel that was to be carried by those chosen by her fellow Nightbloods. But her learning to be a commander that is something she has to earn through her own hard work." Olivia spoke.

"You speak ill of the Commander!" Olivia stopped. The woman thought it was an insult... Not how things were.

"No... I speak as her friend. For a girl that was set up to be a puppet by Nia, then Alie... She has a strength that she is discovering on her own of how strong she can become on her own. You want another Lexa... she is not. Nonetheless, she is learning what is to be a leader. No wonder Clarke took her under her wing to train as her Second as ordered by Lexa."

"Wait... you mean Ontari is Wanheda's second?" This woman didn't know. Maybe the shock of realizing that there was another reason that Ontari hadn't returned to Polis after her injuries.

"Put in charge over the Hundred-kru. Yes... Ontari is working hard to make up for the training she was denied because of Nia. I see the struggles she has, she is becoming a better leader because of it. Rough edges being knocked off, skills being polished and sharpened. I see her talking at times with the previous Commanders. I mean I see some of the doubt she has, but also the strength she is gaining. Francesca seems to be the one she has a rapport with other than Becca, Einheart and Lexa."

"Heda Francesca?" This was a shock. But for Olivia... Well Francesca was the one who seemed to be a confidant and mentor. The one who Ontari seemed to have found a kindred spirit in in helping her become a better leader while not learning to be a field medic.

"Yeah... Francesca seems to be making her look at the larger picture. Becca has Ontari on some driven mission to fulfill her legacy at making the Nightbloods into something more than just Commanders, but Cesca... soothes out the doubt. I only have been able to hear one side of the conversation. It is sort of intriguing... Tari gets a little nervous when people catch her in these conversations. However, when I said I didn't mind her speaking to Cesca that Tari relaxed some and felt more comfortable in allowing a dialogue to take place with knowledge that the Commander's spirit was also wanting to be part of the conversation taking place. I even answered some of Cesca's questions she had for me." The woman seemed to be in intrigued now. Though Olivia calling Franceca Cesca might have been seen as an insult the conversation seemed to have taken Olivia's mind off of the problems at hand such as the recent events with Luna.

"What were the questions the Heda's spirit asked you?" the woman asked.

"My origins. Some of my people's history. Beliefs. My experiences on the ground." Olivia remembered that day pretty well as she was grilled about Skaikru, the history of the Ark, the Sky Box and the early days of the Hundred being on the ground. "Though it felt strange as I sensed that she was sizing me up in relation to those she had encountered while she was alive. The only time Ontari got uncomfortable about the conversation was when I spoke of the Skybox... our prison where I had been sentenced for the crime I had committed. Ontari opened up some about what Nia had done to her, which was some pretty dark stuff. I gave her my strength and let her know that she was not alone in fighting the darkness that covered her past. Maybe that was the reason that she is fighting so hard to protect those under her charge. Ontari was a victim of Nia's cruelty. If you thought that bitch was evil before... Ontari hated her with her entire being. The only reason that Ontari couldn't kill the Queen was because Nia was holding Ontari's home village hostage." The woman sensed that despite all of the evil Ontari had done, she was just a scared young woman who had been manipulated into that evil due to her not knowing a better way. Now Ontari was learning a better way and was thriving because of it. Olivia's past seemed to be the next issue before the woman as she was inquired on that topic.

"You were a criminal?" the woman spoke. Olivia sighed as she decided to let the truth be known. Be honest... That meant a lot among the Grounders and the Hundred.

"Yes and no... I was sentenced to be in there because I got into a brawl and several people got hurt. I was sentenced to be in the Sky Box for several months... But given my aggression and age range, I fell into the category of those being selected to be sent down with the rest of Hundred to be an advance scout for the Ark." The woman stopped cold. The cat was out of the bag.

"You are one of the Hundred Warriors that came down from the Sky with Wanheda!" People around them came to a dead stop. The wood carver that Monty had been speaking to with black hair with peppered white who was a little younger than Kane nearly dropping the wood out of his hand. Monty cursed realizing that the piece of wood he wanted to be carved to fit the fermenter they were building was going to be put on hold. The cut scar over this man's left eye only highlighted the total shock he was in as Monty knelt down to pick up the wood so that when the shock wore off he could get back to the project at hand.

"I am..." Olivia tensed checking the crowd before her. "... I am Grounder... I fight to protect Kru... People I care for... Ontari is part of that Kru... Tari… has earned my respect as a person whom I call sister. I will fight for her... I will help buy the time she needs to help save those she leads. I fight for my home... I fight for the Kongeda-kru." Olivia hadn't really been a strong speaker in her life, but the words seemed to fall off of her lips. "I have seen her learning how to become a healer under Clarke. Those skills she has learned have come in handy when they had to battle some of the sickness that have started to come to our lands, especially when it had hit the rig that Luna lived at. It was rough… But as Ontari lost a battle or two with death taking those under her care, she was able to learn how to stop it from taking the next person. She battled beside Clarke to help save those people." Olivia spoke. "This may not be the war she was trained for… The mindset she has gotten into has. They lost the rig, but saved the people. Not all, but enough for them to start again."

"She has learned to command Death?" The woman spoke.

"No... Not command Death… learned to help fight it off long enough to give those within its grasp time to escape. Command it… That is what she is learning to do. Unfortunately... She may learn to command it in a short time. Though Death has built an army and many more will have to learn those skills before this war is over. I pray that there are enough of us trained to duel with Death that those who can Command it can win."

Olivia's words worked through the crowd as they realized a war had been declared and their Commander was learning how to fight it. Given what they were facing, having knowledge of how to defeat something that was more plague than warrior had them thinking that though young, their new Commander was facing a foe that required her to use her head rather than a blade to defeat. Conversely, this warrior before them would stand by their Commander's side in this fight and ensure that it would be won.

Olivia looked around her and realized that though she had been spit upon, there was no mistaking that she was going to stand her ground if anyone or anything decided to pick a fight with her. If Ontari was here she would be grinning at the epic levels of badassiness that had been told about her doing something good.

Hey... if you had fought Death several times and learned to escape its grasp. Then learning to tame or tell it fuck off... well... Ontari of the Hundred just had that part of her legend laid out cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I hope that you liked the chapter so far.  
> I wanted to give Murphy and Luna a little more filled out backgrounds on their characters as well as make up for how they were treated on the series.  
> I am currently working on Chapter 13 and if you have any ideas for situations or characters you want me to put in. Let me know.  
> Hearns


	13. Lunar and other types of Spirits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about taking so long to update. I have been moving between various projects as well as writing the "final chapter" of this story so that I can loop back to write the events leading up to it. So far, I have had to split this chapter into two parts just to get it out to my readers. Well so much for the update. Here is the story.

Cara, a Skaikru woman walked nearby, her battle worn form spoke that she was a member of the Hundred. The lean and Lethe the woman's current state of dress was a far cry from the soot eye paint and the large side arms she had carried with her during her possessed state of being one of Alie's followers. Like those who had fallen under the spell of the Red Witch Alie, this young woman was still reeling from the aftereffects of the harm they had done.

This touching of the darkness had changed them, some for the better and some for the worse at knowing what their demons were.

There were signs that she like the other members of Wanheda's warriors  _The Hundred_  were slowly going  _Grounder_ , a term where these children of the Sky had started to bear the marking of their kills and tales of their lives upon their skin. Maybe they needed to bear the scars and the markings of the events to remind them to become better people than they had been. Monkey took note of the subtle changes that were now working their way through the Skaikru people.

The tattoos on the underside of Cara's hands spoke to that social change she had adopted as part of making her home on the ground. Given time their marking would be known by all kru but for now Monkey let the mystery of their meanings be.

The walk was doing some good as it was a reconnection for himself and those he was walking with the natural world... The realm of plants, animals, water, and wind... not one of fake dreams and cold steel. Cara looked over to him and felt better. Maybe being an outsider among this group of her people put her mind at rest. Even the familiar feel of a former enemy among them might have been a peaceful reminder of the times before this cursed witch had come into their home.

Cara was one of those warriors of legend that was spoken of over campfires and dinner tables. Monkey had heard the stories about Skaikru's faith were these people any different in wanting to flee back to their gods and wrap themselves back into acts of penance.

In light of recent events, even that faith in the gods and what was good in this world had been tested after he and his wife had seen the destruction that the Red Witch Alie had brought to these great lands. From the lands of Azgeda to the shores of Boudalan the peoples of these clans had been harms in ways not seen since the time of Praimfaya. If one being could wreak that level of destruction through a mixture of lost tech and magic, he feared for the future unless a mounted effort was made to fight against it in the future. With a sigh Monkey took note of his own recent events that had so traumatized his family when they had entered Polis.

Monkey had finally gotten Trip to get some sleep after the days his wife had spent awake by her father's side. Her father's injuries had so torn at the soul of the woman he loved. The power to break free will and force someone to do the things he had seen, made him think about the monsters that had been set loose upon this world. Stories would be told for generations about the time Demons had been unleashed upon the lands because the door of a prison being broken open by an ancient evil. Monkey had even heard a story of a Shallow Valley boy who had killed his own family and was looking to avenge their deaths by finding the Red Witch's body and burning it. This was something that he had spoken to Wanheda about and she wasn't surprised. Mostly she wanted to find this young man and have him join her group in helping smelt the witch's hard drive body into something that would never harm anyone again.

Now walking along the edge of Skaikru lands Cara and several others came to a stop alongside a strange tree which they knelt before and started to pray to her gods.

This  _Last Tree_  had interested him.

Maybe figuring out some of the Skaikru beliefs would be helpful in the future. Hearing the woman pray he understood some of what drove these people.

They were Earth worshipers.

The ground was sacred.

The breath of the trees of the mother gave them life.

The trees gave them air.

Each breath was a gift to be cherished.

Inhale from the mother's gift.

Exhale is your gift to the mother.

In the end... from their first breath to their last... their mother must be cared for, respected, and cherished as she gives life as well as takes it away.

Some of the Trikru affected had started to do the same thing, but watching these people pray to their god he had come to understand why so much blood had been split.

Skaikru just wanted to be near their mother. The forest they had landed in they had seen as being sacred. Yes, they were willing to talk, but the harm that had been done through mistakes on both sides had harmed both peoples.

Skaikru given half a chance and some understanding would have willingly left the Trikru alone peacefully.

But that wasn't to be given the amount of blood that had been spilled in the process.

The Ice Nation's actions only compounded the mess.

The farmers of Skaikru had been forced from their home ship that had landed there. Only to find that the forest that Alpha Station had landed on was decent. Though the station couldn't hold their numbers, they found a good place of land by the Mountain Men's layer. They were in the process of getting the supplies they needed to build their long houses when the Ice Nation had attacked. These people didn't want to be in the layer of the Mountain Men, but it was the only place they could go to keep themselves warm and dry for the nights till their village was built.

The Ice Nation destroying the land and making it unfarmable had forced Pike of Skaikru to attack a nearby village to get their land so that he could farm.

This was a farmer who had been pushed to his limits by losing land to which he felt at home on again, again, and again.

The blockade only had added to the misery.

All Skaikru wanted was to be left alone, grow their crops and raise their animals in peace. Now as things started to calm down, the mood that these people were giving off showed that they had made the wrong decision in choosing Pike as their leader. Maybe in burning of his body along with those he had been in the part of killing might smooth things over with the families of the fallen. Nia being one of them.

The only other time he had heard of a mess like this taking place had been with the Sky Walker kid. The kid had massacred an entire village thinking that they had killed his friends, one of which being Wanheda herself. When Clarke had found out she had been horrified by his actions. She had to side with Commander Lexa in that the young man should be punished. To spare the kid any suffering via the death if a thousand cuts, Clarke had stabbed him in the heart. Now with Pike's death the mood was forming that maybe they should be better at talking than at violence when it came to resolving their conflicts.

They were excellent healers, he had seen that first hand. Though he had seen the pain in their eyes that with all the mistakes they had done, they were trying to make things right. Listening to their prayers to their Earth Mother they doing their best to serve her and maybe work a little harder at building the necessary bridges needed for their future.

He listened to some of the prayers and understood that they were coming to terms with the death of one way of life and the start of another.

Maybe that was a good thing, maybe not. But change was a constant and if one didn't adapt and rise to the challenges before them, then death would come.

They had the strength to rise to the challenge, now... they had to follow through with it.

If Skaikru was to survive... Monkey thought, they would need to change into something more than they had been. Wanheda was marking her path for them. All they needed to do was follow it.

Monkey decided to add his prayers to their own.

Maybe an introduction of their god to his might lead to smoothing over future conflicts.

* * *

 

Luna was tired of being poked and prodded. Jabbed with needles, bleed, and pumped full of things she couldn't even pronounce.

She didn't like it... but Like Ontari, her blood was the key to saving her people, she could live with it for the time being. The transfusion of Skaikru blood into her body was helping rebuild her defenses of her immune system after the beating it had taken from the Radiation poisoning. Though it was Abby wanting to study more of her biology as she was the one who had gotten some of the highest doses from the Rig before her body started to succumb. Yet how her body was healing from the radiation so quickly after getting minimal treatment was what Abby wanted to learn about. In doing so Abby could help protect the other Nightbloods she had here from further harm. Additionally, ever bit of knowledge Abby gained helped in her work on a cure for this poison plague that was now flooding over the lands of the Thirteen Kru.

Luna backtracked the events of what had happened to bring her to this place.

The storm that had passed by her home had carried Alie's cursed plague within its rains to those living there. If you were safe from a foe who knew more ways to kill you than you could think of was just denial. Luna had learned that the hard way.

Now Luna had to become a better leader. A wiser leader, a more educated leader.

It was hard to wrap her mind around...

The truth...

Like many things if one thought it didn't matter to them it wasn't important, then you had situations like this occur and you nearly losing your entire kru because of it.

Luna had been forced to learn that lesson the hard way.

Bekka... Faith... Bloodline... Building the Future. Those were the things she now had to focus on. For Adira's sake Luna had to ensure that the mistakes of the past were not repeated. The Decedents of Bekka needed to stand tall once again without the strings of those who wanted to control them for their own means.

Flamekeepers such as Titus and Queens like Nia had used the descendants of Bekka to keep power and use it to influence the political policy throughout the lands they controlled. Luna was right to run... She didn't want to be someone's puppet. She was a person... not some... some vessel meant to carry the spirit of some dead leader... No... Luna wanted more in her life... she wanted to live her life on her terms... no one's else's.

Murphy offering her the position as being Flamekeeper for this generation so that those like herself would have a say in their futures came as a shock.

Luna was a Nightblood who didn't want the flame... It made sense. Maybe it was her legacy in helping pick a new Commander without losing her life that had struck so hard to Titus's mindset. Murphy's act of revenge and giving the Descendants of Bekka back their birthright was his way of screwing over the bastard and his predecessors so hard that they would be screaming rights from the depths of the underworld.

It was a shift...

The Truth and having your eyes opened had left an impact on this man.

Though her ideas of creating place based on Peace wasn't one that people wanted her eyes shut on. It was a good dream to have. A place to work for peace, in mind, body and soul. Maybe that was why many of Clarke's kru wanted to speak to her. They were in search of that peace in their lives after all the nightmares they had been through over the last few years.

Eden Kon Hundred-kru was the most vocal and wished to explain her darkness to Luna. The pacifism wasn't her strong suit, but the inner peace teachings was something she wanted. Eden was a violent creature who had been caged at a young age because of her bloodlust that had overwhelmed her humanity. Her demon was always creeping at the surface scaring her, but it also comforted her in being her protector. Eden was angry at it for screwing up her life but not angry for it being part of her.

But as Luna watched her daughter sleep, that conflict would pass as it was directed to tasks that would help the members of her Kru. Eden's darkness... that would take work and time. Animalistic urges and instincts trapped in a human body fighting to get out every chance they got. Coming to the Ground had saved the girl from a death sentence that had marked her since this beast had gotten loose in her childhood. So much like Octavia's will to survive and fight... But Luna had been blind to the fact that Octavia had been caged so much of her life. Lincoln had tamed that primal side and made it something good. Something that felt alive and happy. Eden's darkness had found a purpose with its need to hunt and protect those she called her pace. Octavia's strength and will as a fighter had been given a purpose when it had found Indra and the warriors of the Trikru.

When Lincoln had been torn from Octavia's life... she had gone feral... animalistic... savage... Looking for a fight, looking for a reason to live despite that pain.

Octavia... Luna's hadn't seen the harm she had done to that young woman in saying no to her on her oil rig home.

She hadn't known...

Skairipa... was wounded... hurt... scared... the woman wanted to feel something other than pain... All the girl could do was fight, fight from one moment to the next just to keep breathing. Marked with a death sentence the day she was born... who wouldn't fight to see their next day of life. Who wouldn't hide from those wishing to take it.

Octavia would slay any foe wishing to take her life...

Death feared this girl...

She would not go down.

She was fight from moment of conception to the moment of her future death.

If Octavia's blood would have been black... She would have made an excellent Commander.

Luna kicked herself hard.

She had failed, the girl had been drowning in darkness, and a simple embrace would have helped. Luna had been blind to see herself reflected in the life of one so young.

Octavia was a wolf who wanted to be a house dog and her mate had been taken. The one who balanced her and made her whole. Made her sane in this insane world.

"You are not alone." Four words in the ancient Gonasleng tongue would have done much to help the young woman... A shoulder, to cry on... a warm bowl of fish stew and a soft bed and just listening to someone who had been forged the same way she had been: through fire and pain.

Luna took a deep breath and tried to meditate on recent events.

Had Luna been that blind to the facts before her that she was seeing a younger version of herself that wanted… NO! Needed help to heal! Luna had lost her love Boo as Octavia had lost her love Lincoln.

May the dead take mercy upon her soul for what she had done? Luna let a tear fall from her cheek. She had fucked up and people had died. People who had trusted her, depended upon her, needed her.

Luna would make this right.

Clarke and Ontari would help in performing the burial rights for those of Floukru who had died beside her. The bodies would have to be burned to keep the poison from spreading, but the ashes would be gathered so that they could be spread to the sea when it was time.

The water within her blood that Luna so worshiped was where another battle was taking place.

Now as her body was healing after being injected with Skaikru antibodies. The little blood warrior creatures would help fight off the radiation sickness and shore up her body's defenses from the assault it had endured from her poisoning. She started to understand some of the battle that Clarke and the others were fighting now.

Defeating the Red Witch Alie was only part of it. Doing that part was simple. They really needed someone who could help in the healing process.

Between the seasonal storms that were coming and the poison clouds of smoke that the Red Witch Alie had unleashed upon the lands of the world... Luna's home had been the first to bare the grunt of this disaster.

Though there were lives lost, at least some good had come from what had happened.

Skiakru knew how much of Bekka's formula to use to treat the Praimfaya sickness to cure someone.

But it was Adria who had the one to benefit the most.

Somehow... given how Abby had stated it, Adria had become a Nightblood. Most of the sequences were there for the trait to emerge, just that the treatment had pushed her daughter the rest of the way there. Bekka spirit was doing her best to look out for her descendants. Maybe that was why the Pramheda had begged Clarke to be the warrior by her side during that final battle with Alie. To give Ontari a new purpose other than being a Commander. To keep the nations together in light of the threat they were not facing.

Clarke of Skaikru's name would be mentioned with the same honor and reverence as Bekka's in the generations yet to be born.

This forced Luna to think about her place in the history yet to be written.

What was Bekka's purpose for Luna herself?

Luna let that thought go to the back of her mind as she reached out to pull up the blanket around her daughter's body.

Luna saw that the red marks from the lesions on her daughter's face were slowly turning black... Not from illness, but from what she was becoming: A Nightblood.

Adria's and her children would be Nightbloods. This broke and comforted Luna at the same time. Bekka's bloodline ran through this little girl and it was fighting to keep her alive with the raw fury of her ancestor's desire to save the world. Adria needed to be protected from harm as her blood changed from red like her father to the black like her mother Luna's as she underwent the transformation. Luna was scared what this would mean for her daughter's future.

The last thing Luna wanted was for Adria to go through the Hell she had gone through being a Nightblood Initiate.

The only conciliation was that Ontari had changed the rules for the right of succession so that the ritual combat that had taken Gaius' life would be stopped for the next conclave.

Murphy stated that Bekka had wanted the tradition to follow the line of succession much like a Heda called  _Thee Pope_. Less with the swords and more with the paper and a stove. Luna wanted to learn more about this tradition but her stomach moved on her.

Luna still felt sick from the poison, but she had a fighting chance to recover as the Skaikru blood warriors coursed through her veins to heal her body. Her own blood warriors had been overwhelmed by the assault on her body. Considering that Luna's body had held up as well as it had was a testament to Bekka's skill at blood forging. Hearing about what had happened to the young Nightblood who had been found by the members of the Plains Raiders spoke to the sheer amount of pummeling that this radiation plague could do the body. Luna was lucky to be alive. The young Nightblood child hadn't been.

Looking over at Adria, Luna felt the sheer terror of the force that had nearly taken her daughter's life.

Adria... she still needed help as her battle with this sickness was far from over.

Abby had done her best to help restore the child's ability to eat, but she was hitting her limit with what she could do with the medicine. Even with the pill that had saved Adria's life only went so far. But that little medicine had been enough for Death to lose Adria's scent and for it to swim off to get easier quarry.

This was until Ontari's Skaikru lover offered up an option.

He knew of a drug that could help soothe the child's stomach and aid in helping her eat. It was an herb used to treat the aftereffects of a sickness caused by a disease that devastated the body so harshly that the only way it could be treated was by being poisoned. Adria's symptoms mirrored the poisoning and could be treated by the antidote. Though there was a problem in that the last known location of it was located inside of the remains of one of their skai-ships that had crashed in the Ice Nation. A place that wasn't easily accessible due to the recent conflict between Pike of Skaikru's faction and the members of the Ice Nation.

Roan was doing his best to send messages to several of his war-chiefs to allow quick passage for the small team of warriors to be sent to retrieve the medicine needed.

Now as Luna was slowly starting to recover, she knew that Abby would need to add her own Nightblood and possibly that of her daughter's to help be the base for the cure needed.

Luna knew now she wasn't needed to fight a person, or a group of individuals, she was needed to help provide a cure to save innocents.

This wasn't a fight and some truth now started to make sense to what Bekka meant by "Blood must have blood."

Their blood sickness needed to be fought off by the shields carried by the warriors in her own black colored blood.

She was just the vessel.

These beings needed her to sail to this place to so that they could find help, but also help those in need.

She didn't want to fight.

But like a ship with warriors on it, did you blame the warriors of the ship they used to get to their destination or the ship that had brought them there that might later bring crops and fish to those in need.

She prayed.

_Augwa... I asked that I not take up violence again... There is a battle raging, and I am the vessel that has brought warriors to protect the innocent. I know the reason they fight... But what do you want me to do?_

That prayer was halted as there as a knock on the metal door of the room she was in now.

"Luna... We need a little help." A young woman with dark skin stood before her. It was Raven... the woman who was furious about Murphy punching her out so that he could steal the drug that helped save Adira's life... But the story and the truth about Murphy had torn at her soul.

He had done a wrong to make something right.

He was going to be a father... he was doing what he did to protect his child as well as put right a wrong done against his father.

"Raven..." The young woman seemed a little uneasy when Luna spoke. There was a sense of fear in the girl's stance. Luna had overheard several of the stories told about her. Some of which where she was to be feared given she was a Nightblood, others were in relation to her being Lincoln's mentor.

"...Lu... Luna." The dark skinned Skaikru girl looked at her as Adria rolled in her bed trying to keep the stiffness of her body away. "How is your daughter?" Raven sensed that whatever was needed would be put on hold until Adria got better.

"She is getting better... But her body was weakened by the toxins flowing through her system." Raven bit her lip. "I just want her to eat... Hopefully this herb laced sky cake that your friend Jasper is planning on making for her will help cure the last of her illness."

"Luna... I am sorry for my actions and how I acted..." Raven was doing her best to apologize.

"You were trying to protect your Kru. I heard how rare and hard to make the medicine was that was used to save my daughter's life. You were furious thinking it was going to be squandered. You relented when you discovered it was going to be used to save a child's life." Luna rose from Adria's bed. Luna took note of the girl's injuries both old and new. "Raven of Skaikru, you came to ask something of me. Speak." Raven tensed some. The young woman still sensed the shame she bore for how she acted. Maybe more when she had learned of Emori's pregnancy.

"Yes... Me and Clarke and trying to see how far the spread of the radiation has taken place. Could we have you take a look at a few maps to see where your people's boats went on your fishing trips." Luna sensed something more. "If you want me to... I will look after your daughter while you do so." Luna reached up and traced the edge of the young woman's face before placing her fingers under Raven's ear. Luna's toned muscles spoke of her training and strength that she had at her disposal.

"Do not speak... I will ask some questions before I go, be honest. I will judge your reaction. Lie..." Raven's body shuddered as the young woman realized what Luna might do to her with this non-threatening grip on her face. Raven's pulse moved faster in the fear. "I did not say I would kill you." Pulse slowed down. The tension in the young woman's body fluttered. She was being judged though how she acted spoke that she had undergone a trial like this before. Maybe even more harshly given the fight or flight response her body reacted to.

"Are you afraid of me?" Raven's heart beat faster under Luna's finger. Tha Thump tha thump Tha Thump tha thump. She was scared.

"Nightblood?" Constant. Tha Thump tha thump. Tha Thump tha thump. Thank you, Lexa, for being the feared warrior of lore and possibly Ontari for that reaction.

"Me fighting Wanheda?" Faster. Thump thump Thump thump Thump thump Thump tha thump. word of that encounter was made clear of her distaste at taking the Flame.

"Lincoln." faster. Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump. She knew of what had happened to her friend.

"Were you his friend?" fast, but constant Thump thump. Thump thump.  _She was._

"Did he speak of me?" Constant. Tha Thump tha thump _. She did._

"Did he try to help you out of the dark place you were at?" Constant Tha Thump tha thump. No... but was there listening to her as he knew of her troubles.

"Was it because of your leg?" Constant. Tha Thump tha thump. Her injury was a topic that something had happened.

"The mountain men." Very fast. Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump. Well she figured out who had done the wounding to this young woman.

"They harmed you." Very fast. Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump Thumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthumpthump. Well a victim of the Mountain men. Explained a lot of her actions.

"Did Alie, the Red Witch curse you with a demon?" Constant. Tha Thump tha thump. Tha Thump tha thump. Tha Thump tha thump.  _No... and yes..._  Cursed yes... but a fighter. Ah... you knew her magic. Knew what she did to you.

"Did she offer to heal you?" Constant but fast. Tha Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump. Thump thump.  _Yes..._  There was reluctance in this.

"Did Wanheda free you?" fast but constant. Tha Thump tha thump. Tha Thump tha thump. Tha Thump tha thump.  _Yes..._  a willing yes... She was loyal to Clarke... Wanhead now knew how to fight her enemy.

"Was I the only option to help fight Alie?" slow. Tha Thump tha thump.  _No..._

"Why pick me, because of Titus?" slow but constantly getting faster with each moment. Tha Thump tha thump... Thump thump...  _Yes and No... Titus?_  No context to the name given the confusion at the mention of the name, but maybe actions of how Ontari won her conclave, maybe Roan.

"Are you Octavia's friend?" Constant. Tha Thump... tha thump.  _Yes..._

"Were you close to her?" Constant. Tha Thump... tha thump...  _Yes... She was..._

"Do you worry about her" Constant. Tha Thump.. tha thump...  _Yes... Greatly..._

"Are you scared of Adria?" Slow. Tha Thump.  _No_... Maybe out of the guilt out of her actions to the sick girl.

"She is a Nightblood?" slow but was getting faster. Tha Thump tha thump thump thump thump thump thump thump. This was a concern to her with this new information.  _The oh crap... no wonder you were pissed at us!_

"You didn't know?" Slow but constant. Tha thump tha thump... Tha Thump...  _No..._

"Is your offer to stay a way to make up for your actions to me?" Constant. Tha Thump tha thump.  _Yes..._  the light swallowing clenched it.

"Are the maps to be used to prevent what happened to my Kru from happening again?" Raven's heart rate was constant but was slowing down as an understanding between the two women was reached. Tha Thump tha thump... Tha Thump tha thump...  _Yes... to save many!_

Luna grinned.

"You can speak now." Raven blinked a few times looking around the room.

"What did you do?" Raven voiced worriedly.

"Something I picked up over the years. It drives children crazy when they try to lie to me." This is when Adria rolled over in her bed to look at Raven.

"Mummon does it all the time whenever I get into trouble. It is her way of learning the truth and about the character of a person." Adria spoke as she looked at Raven. "So... is it true that you used your magic to fight Alie?" Raven nodded.

"Not Magic... Just knowledge that has been lost." Adria seemed to relax some. Luna watched as a connection started to form between the Skaikru woman and her adoptive daughter. Luna wanted to see how this played out. Raven seemed to be a bit more relaxed around her daughter than herself.

"Do you think I will be able to head to the sea again? I mean liked to swim, but floating was really fun." Adria spoke as she tried to relax. Luna sensed that the girl at times was more fish than person given the number of times she wound up in the water and had to be fished out.

"I used to float to in the Sky. I mean I had to wear a suit to keep the air near my body but I used to float as part of my job working on the station."

"You flew?" Adria exclaimed.

"Once... coming down from the sky, but Floating is what I did a lot of when I had to work on the station while it was still in the sky." There was a pause from Raven. "I miss that. The freedom, being weightless. Seeing the ocean stretch out from the ends of the horizon."

"Same here... I liked to watch the storms a little after sunset, how the lightening danced across the sky."

"How the lighting seemed to jump from cloud to cloud along long distances." Raven replied. "I saw the same thing too just from very high up."

"They almost dance." Adria spoke.

"They do... I could almost hear the song they were dancing to."

"My father Boo and my Mummon would break out the drums and play some."

"You like drums?" Raven spoke.

"I do..." There was a pause from Adria. "I was going to get my first dive clothes for my birthday along with my own hand drum." Luna thought of the drum that she had made for Adria and stashed in one of the machine rooms on the rig. A place that they may never return to in light of recent events.

"Maybe after this mess passes you can get your drum." Raven spoke as Luna grinned.

"I would like that." Luna for the first time started to see something in this young woman that soothed her. Adria seemed to at ease. Both individuals wounded, but had a fighting spirit to go on. They didn't fight for war. They fought to be better, to be stronger than they had the previous day. Ontari had called it the "Good Strife" and Luna had started to understand what that meant. Battle not for war, battle to improve and grow stronger in the light of struggle before you. To seek a higher thing, a greater thing larger than yourself.

Lexa would have loved to have spent time with these two.

The stories that Lexa might have told these two of Luna's"I am Death days.

_Lexa… I forgive you._

With those words Luna decided to do her part in the fight ahead. No more villages would fall like her's had done.

"Raven... The maps you want me to look at, where are they at?" Luna acknowledged.

"Ah... they are in main hall, near the repair bay... I can..." Luna rose a hand.

"The main hall we came through when we were brought here?" Raven nodded. "I will find my way there. Watch over my daughter." Luna commented. "She likes you." Luna said leaving Raven with Adria. Walking through the door Luna sensed that for now her child was safe but the threat was still coming. If Luna had any chance to help protect her the best thing she could do was give Skaikru the knowledge to find out where this plague was going to strike next. She was going to listen, watch and speak with open eyes. She had to... She wasn't going what happened to her Kru happen again. Knowledge was the weapon for winning this war and not her fists.

_Thank you Augwa._

* * *

 

Jasper was letting Ontari relax some as the large rover traveled northwest along the old highway route. Word had come their way that someone had attacked the old agricultural station and had entrenched themselves into it. So far, the work crew was safe, but in light of recent events Roan had given the Hundred orders to remove the squatters from the station within a day of their arrival or he was going to march the entire ice Nation army on the place. Bellamy understood as he helped Ontari put a team together.

For the most part, the team wasn't all Ice Nation, what they needed was individuals who had knowledge of the inside of Agro Station. Jasper, Monty, and Bryan had been selected given their background with the station. Harper was chosen for weapon usage. Bellamy was chosen for his command skills in battle. Though the others had been chosen for other reasons Valkari was a tracker, Monkey was able to climb to any place on the structure. Harper's friend Senua was watching over Monkey's wife and child back in Arkadia. Ontari's place on the team wasn't so much as team commander, but as team liaison between them and the Ice Nation.

Ontari looked like shit when it came to her new extended family. In light of the events that had happened with Luna and her daughter... well Jasper had heard her speaking of her doubts and fears to the previous Commanders. No matter how scared Ontari was... there was a part of her that felt comfortable when she was around her "pack". The number of ambassadors seemed to almost welcome the fact Jasper was in the room at times as she tended not to want to attack them but wanted to listen more to what they had to say. With the widespread of boar attacks on the rise Ontari's attention wouldn't have been focused on the meaning on the matter if Jasper and her hadn't been doing all of that heavy reading at night. The pieces were coming together in such a way that Ontari was starting to understand the larger picture of the ecological crisis at hand.

The widespread appearance of packs of boars terrorizing the land only started to make sense when Ontari remembered an article she and Jasper had read about the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Given that boars were omnivorous creatures, they were trying their best to find insects and grubs in the area before they moved forward to eating the various mushrooms in the area. If the animals were moving towards eating the non-healthy toxic variety along with hunting for larger animals to feast upon, this was getting bad. So far in the past week, several hunting parties had returned with several boars to the point that they had a rover full of them. But the destruction these animals were doing was worse than roving pack of wolves terrorizing the area.

A pack of coywolf pups had sought shelter in one of the rovers and so far had been adopted by several of the Kru after their mother died protecting them from the boar herd. To many of the members of Skaikru these animals signified the impact of the disaster they were facing down. Combine that with the fact that the shelters would have to deal with large numbers of depression, alcoholism and suicide due to the stress of relocation. The situation was slowly becoming harsher as each day passed as survival was started to become paramount over the niceties of society. In other cases, society was breaking along the edges and it was effecting everyone with deaths, murders and suicides in the surrounding villages. Most of that was being covered under the cloud of a Alie curse being placed on those settlements. In other cases, some pretty dark stuff had come to the surface and some couldn't deal with the stress of the things they had done.

Jasper's friend Bree had nearly taken her own life through a near trifecta of overdosing herself on jobi nut tea, slit wrists and hanging herself after seeing her demons come to life. Niylah and Ontari had been the ones to find her after Bree decided to drown her noise of her suffering out via playing loud music.

Ironically it was that music that had saved Bree's life... that and the blood loss. Between Bree hanging from the ceiling naked, the drugs racing through her system, the blood loss had slowed her heart in such a way that it actually kept her body from processing the poison and her dying. Given the piles of clothes around her, they had plenty of bandages to treat her injuries. Bree's fumbling her death had in the end had saved her life. Now they had to give her a reason to keep on living.

Niylah had remembered a potion made of some herbs that caused temporary memory loss that was used by the Trikru to keep prisoners and traumatized warriors docile until they could be interrogated back at their camps. It was one of the few things the grounder trader had learned from her late father that had come as a great benefit considering recent events. Niylah had nearly a cottage business in creating the stuff of Skaikru's healers.

So far the potion had worked in that it had kept Bree from remembering who she was and the fact she had tried to kill herself. Bree would not be the perky party girl she had been for some time, but a little bit of escaping reality was what she needed.

Bree was so much a mythological Maenad with her love of inhibition, fornication and music. The girl needed hope and if they needed to make her forget some of her ways until the crisis past to keep her alive, then so be it. Bree would probably hate them, but she wasn't the only Nymph-like person they had to deal with in this crisis.

Liam had told him about the pregnant Trikru mother who had hung herself and how he and Nyko had to C-section the baby into the world before the unborn child ran out of air. The woman was so much like Bree, it was scary as Liam recounted the stories the girl's father had spoken of the girl's life. Bree and this girl would have been partying throughout the villages at some festival clothing optional as they went for the most fertile male specimens. Given the recent events combined with the stress everyone was feeling, it was understood that not everyone was going to be saved or make it through living in the shelters.

It was like hearing the horror stories about the early days of the Great Burn on the Ark. People having a joyful time before they up and killed themselves. DNRs they were called.

Jasper had thought about doing that a few times over the last few weeks, but had been stopped by one thing in his life... Ontari. After all of the crap he had been through, he wasn't going to lose another chance to get things right. He was going to be a husband, father, uncle, whatever to this woman he loved. He was going to live his life by this woman he loved.

He was going to fight for the people he had lost, Roma, Maya, Shay, Lincoln... Wolf... Looking at Bellamy, Jasper knew who he was fighting for even though the woman he loved liked members of the same team. Maybe that was why Bellamy looked out for Bree so much after Gina had died.

Bellamy had sat by Bree during that day after she had been sewn up. Jasper knew that Bree had been part of the harem of girls that had been with Bellamy after they had landed, but to see the girl so vulnerable really hit hard. Not since Roma's death at the hands of Trikru or Gina's at the hands of the Ice Nation had Bellamy been seen this upset. This was the girl who was the life of the party, dancing, playing, and giggling. But since Alie and this entire end of the world mess... How many others would be choosing to "go out leaving a good-looking corpse" instead of dying like "some deformed monster from radiation."

Ontari had decided the safest thing to do for the girl was to make sure that she wouldn't run anywhere... so other than a blanket... Bree had been tied naked to the infirmary bed until Niylah's potion had taken affect. After it did, Bree was a little scared, but she wasn't going to kill herself for the time being which was good. Though Bree did have flashes of her past... It wasn't anything that she couldn't deal with... Forgetting some of the major shit of your past was sometimes good, forgetting your paints... not so much. Even if Bree got comments on her good looking naked ass when she had snuck out of the infirmary to scout out Arkadia.

So far Bree knew that she was a Delinquent... dated Bellamy... had sex with Bellamy... She remembered some Grounders attacking... that part Niylah had cleared up some as being understood as a misunderstanding for trespassing onto their lands, that and the decent ship being off course. The Pike mess was being explained... Though Bree was a little scared at times when she had learned what had happened. Clarke and Ontari interceded in talking about the politics that Clarke had to go through in resolving the conflict. If the Arkers followed some societal rules they would be left alone. Given the amount of blood that Bree had split on her clothing ruining them, forced Niylah to dress Bree in some traditional Grounder clothing. As a result of this wardrobe change the Grounders started to leave her alone.

Clarke seeing the opportunity to mend some fences between Skairku and the rest of the Kongeda, Clarke had decided to put Bree on learning the songs and oral history from the Various Kru as a way to keep the former party girl going. The Grounders loved their oral history and giving Bree something to do other than mope about eased the tension some as she found a purpose in keeping something alive that was close to her heart... music and tending to horses.

Now as they started to approach the line of mountains that made up the northern range of the boarder of Azgeda Ontari shifted some. The tension in her body screamed at the uncomforting situation she found herself in.

"I don't know if this is my home anymore?" Ontari spoke as she saw the white hand on the banner marking the lands on which they were entering. Traumatized servant girl wanted to run, Commander of the Thirteen Kru needed to stay.

"Home is where you make family... remember that." Jasper spoke as he reached to take her hand. The jagged teeth of the palm of her armored glove dug into Jasper's hand as she reciprocated back at Jasper's gesture.

Ontari's complicated history was something that she needed to work through.

Like everyone... in this age of endings there was a chance to have a new beginning.

Winter was coming... now all they had to do was to endure it till the spring that would come in the next two plus years.

"I will..." Ontari spoke as she steeled herself for what was ahead. Ontari looked at those around her and knew that she wasn't alone in this fight to come. She had a pack now and they would look out for each other: Ice Wolf, Herb Wolf, Tech Wolf, Achka Wolf, Sky Wolf, Wolf Monkey, Tree Wolf, and Corn Wolf.

This was a battle she would fight... and not alone as she had been in the past.

The Queen was dead.

May she rot in Hell.

* * *

 

Luna moved to help her daughter undress before taking her own clothes off and walking into the Arkadia showers. Her child had lost a whole lot of weight since her sickness. It was scary seeing her daughter's bones be highlighted through the flesh of her skin. It tore at her as she sensed that seeing her child get like this was her fault, but it wasn't... It had been that cursed Witch... Alie.

Since her time with the Maps Skaikru had of the paths of great storms of the past, Luna had started to realize that her home had fallen within a predictable path of one of these storms. Given the regularity of when they would come Luna sensed that she and what was left of her people were lucky to have made it to shore. But the punch in the stomach came when Luna traced the path of one of these storm routes and saw that it crossed the path of one of the burning poisoned buildings. The poisoned smoke had been carried via these storms right to the home of her people and the result was horrific.

Her own ignorance on the matter she had been faced with is what had cost her nearly over a hundred of her kru. The horrors and the price she had to face was her's alone. If she was to be punished... Then let them take her... But the gods decided that would not be her fate. This was a lesson she had to learn... evil finds a way to attack the most isolated individuals. Only by knowing that an evil exists can one be able to fight it.

Adria had nearly been that price.

Now as every motherly instinct Luna had coursing through her body screamed, Luna realized that she had to fight to protect her daughter. Even if she detested violence, there were other ways to fight and that is what she had to do to aid in her daughter's and her people's survival.

Several of the women in the shower looked worried as she moved Adria through. They were not looking at her with hate, just worry... that was when Luna dropped one of the natural Loofah sponges that she and Adria were planning on using to bathe with. The large sliced up pieces of dried squash that many kru used for bathing, catching a woman's mistral blood and wiping their behinds with were a cheap and easy way to clean themselves. Luna had found someone trading them with the Skaikru villagers and had been thankful for something familiar in this strange sky ship village.

"Luna..." a woman spoke as she saw the off yellow sponge bounce a few times along the shower house's floor as it escaped from Adria's grip. Reaching down the woman brought the item up and handed it back to Luna. "... It is alright... I was a friend of Lincoln's." the woman spoke as she looked at the naked mother.

"I... I..." Luna felt awkward. "...Thank you..." Luna had been somewhat interested in men and women since she was younger, but with Boo... she had found someone who made the world for her. Looking at this attractive woman Luna had to force herself back to her role as mother so that Adria could be bathed. Luna held back any fantasy of kissing this woman and turned her attention to Adria. But learning that this woman had known of her friend Lincoln had given her a bit of a respite from the recent events.

"It's alright... He spoke of you often," the woman knelt down before Adria. "So... you got tired lying in bed?" Adria nodded. Adria still had the bald spots from where her hair had fallen out from the radiation dose she had endured. The gods were looking out for her little girl. Maybe Adria's hair could grow back in time. Hearing Lincoln's name had broken the surface of the bucket of ice and Adria had wanted to know more.

"Raven stayed with me for a little while." Adria indicated. There was tension throughout her body and Luna sensed it. "We spoke of the friends we lost."

"Oh..." The woman spoke sensing there was something more to the girl as Luna and Adria caught a look at the tattoos on the woman's skin.

"You have Kru markings..." The woman looked at Adria a little embarrassed.

"Yeah... Cara the Sky witch? Went Grounder after the death of her friend Lincoln."

"Are you a witch like Alie?" There was some fear in Adria's voice.

"No... A Wicca. A worshiper of nature."

"I worship the sea." Adria responded.

"Mother Water..." Cara spoke. "She must be pissed at Alie unleashing that poison cloud into the storms."

"You know of Aguwa... the Sea Mother!" Cara chewed on it with her thoughts.

"Aguwa... Must be your variation of her name." Cara relaxed some. "Earth Mother and Horned Father... are the names of the deities I worship. But they are linked to the five elements, Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit." Luna listened to the woman speak. "They have to be in balance. What Alie did was throw the elements out of balance."

"I have no home because of this unbalance..." Adria spoke... Luna felt the worry through her daughter's form speak volumes. "Your Kru marks are so strange?"

"They represent the times where my own life was thrown into upheaval and state of imbalance as well as when order was returned to them." Cara moved to touch one of the cluster of markings on her skin. "Placing them on my skin is a reminder that order and disorder are two sides of the same coin. Sometimes you need order and other times you need disorder to balance things out." There was a long pause from the woman as she moved to touch a specific set of symbols on her flesh and lingered there sensing the importance of that set of glyphs on her skin. "Alie stole my spirit and shoved in something in its place. Having Clarke liberate it and return it to me it is something I will never forget... though I remember the actions of what my body did in that creature's name I can only hope that the gods I believe in are forgiving."

"What do you remember?" Luna spoke... The young woman's shoulders sagged. To be a host to these demons must have been something horrific if this woman was wishing for her gods to forgive her for actions that were beyond her control.

"The most vivid memories I have are attacking a man getting off of a boat with a shock staff... a non-lethal weapon of my people... it is used to capture individuals without hurting them too much. I was wearing stolen armor at the time and... I just jabbed him several times... I... remember this strange tattoo he had on his forehead, like an inverted fanged crescent moon... much like the symbol of Horned Father..." Luna started to worry. "I never heard a scream that loud in the City of Light as he was dragged there against his will."

"Can you trace this symbol in the air?" Luna started to worry as the woman started to trace the symbol in the air. To Luna's horror it was the symbol that mirrored that of her late Husband and Adria's father Boo.

"I remember feeling the violation in attacking someone who might be a worshipper of my gods... I just kept hitting him with the weapon until he passed out. I felt Alie urging my body to continue... Alie stole my memories of my faith, my life, and my soul every time I fought back. Then I put a chip into his mouth..." Cara froze when she looked over at Luna as this woman relived the most horrific moment of her life as her soul was being attacked and Boo's was stolen away so that Alie's demon (re)asserted control... The woman was in a trance as she spoke the words she had overheard during her possession. She was trapped in reliving that horrific moment again and again much like Luna did whenever she remembered killing her Brother Giais. To this very day, she could still feel the texture of her brother's neck on her fingers. This woman was no different. "Accessing data on Floukru base of operations... One-hundred and twenty inhabitants... fifteen children... Leader..." Luna started to realize that this woman was the one who while possessed had placed the vessel of the demon into her beloved. Luna didn't know what was worse, seeing the vessel of the one who had destroyed your life or knowing that the one who commanded that flesh had been powerless to fight back against the one who had pirated her. "Behavioral profile analysis... psychological trauma based on murder of sibling... severe aversion of conflict... extensive combat training, hand to hand combat skill set, weapons combat skill set, battle strategy comprehension." Cara was on the verge of breaking down as the horrors came back to her. Several others in the baths started to look worried as Cara collapsed to the floor sobbing.

"Alie's demon was attacking your soul while she was having her spawn in your flesh assault Boo?" Cara's nod only confirmed the horrors. Alie had learned of her weaknesses through Boo's memories.

"You knew him?!" Luna knelt to the young woman.

"He was my husband... Adria's father... and I had to kill him to save my Kru from harm." Luna reached out to the young woman and embraced her. "Your body was the vessel... Taken by force to attack those you knew and did not know." Cara's eyes pleaded for mercy.

"I..."

"Hold your tongue Cara of Skaikru..." Luna pushed several strands of wet hair from the young woman's face. Luna moved her hand softly down Cara's face before placing her hand on the base of the girl's jaw. Luna with a firm grip could snap the woman's neck. The woman knew this too. "Your body was used to much harm... you were in a losing battle against one who was attacking your very spirit. Take note... you have given me some peace in knowing that my beloved did not go down so easily. You fought a foe... as relentlessness as they were, you took note of what they were doing in some hope that what you learned might aid in the witch's defeat if you were ever freed." Luna's eyes grew cold as she moved behind the girl and proceeded to pin her down with her entire body. Several individuals started to come close as Luna leaned in a whispered into Cara's ear. "Ai _giv ai op gon nemiyon kom lanik-de..._  " Luna tighten her grip around the woman. "Repeat it!"

" _Ai giv ai op gon nemiyon kom lanik-d_ e. I give myself... to the miracle... of the sea."

"Again... but in my tongue only!"

" _Ai giv ai op gon nemiyon kom lanik-d_ e." Cara started to realize what Luna wanted.

"Again..."

" _Ai giv ai op gon nemiyon kom lanik-d_ e." Luna lighted her grip from Cara's body. The chant to the goddess of the sea was a way to state to the gods that this woman's spirit was to be looked over before any punishment was to be carried out in either thus world or the next.

"The sea brought me peace... Life... Hope... In a place of eternal darkness... I found light... You are a vessel... understand that... Cara Kon Skaikru... you have reclaimed your vessel back from those who had used it. Now you have to deal with the fact that every time someone sees you... they will only see the demon that once inhabited your body. I thank you in letting me know that my beloved fought to protect us even as he was violated to gain knowledge of me and our once mighty home."

Cara felt Luna release her as Luna looked into the eyes of the woman who was as much as victim as vessel as her husband had been.

"Luna." Cara was stopped as Luna raised her hand.

"Your hands are covered in blood. Your soul is not. Count yourself lucky as I do not practice:  _blood must have blood_. Though I do practice the code of: _respect and honor your gods for they will be the only ones who will give you mercy in the next world_." Cara nodded as she slowly started to move away from Luna.

"I understand..." Cara nodded as she turned to look at Adria. "You have my fealty and my life Adria of Floukru." Adria walked over and touched Cara on the face.

"I do not ask for that... But I thank you in knowing that my father's spirit was not in his body when he died. That the demon my mother slew is now gone." Cara sighed.

"Alie imprisoned him in Summerland in the City of Light. He was one of the souls that Bekka helped free after Clarke defeated Alie in the Singularity. I guess he was the one who has been gathering the information on the Maps that Clarke, Ontari and whatever Ambassador has been looking at." Cara swallowed hard.

"Boo has been helping in gathering the information in making those maps?" Cara nodded.

"As far as I know? That sort of material and how it was organized when Clarke did her data dive with Ontari was fairly in-depth. It was like someone who knew the seas knew what to place on the maps." Cara confessed what she knew.

"Who would know who made these maps?" Luna expressed.

"Clarke and Ontari would know." Luna moved to sit on the floors of the bath house. The gods had willed her here. Maybe it was not so much to save her kru... but to save her soul.

_I give myself... to the miracle... of the sea._

_Boo..._

_You want me here by these people so that your soul can find peace in knowing that we are safe._

Luna moved to hug her daughter as the first time in a long time the god of the sea had provided her some hope that her beloved's last action might be the start of a new beginning.

* * *

 

Adria felt her hair being cut. It was strange as she felt large sections being cut and shaved away to even out the damage of her hair falling out. However, as the cool air hit her scalp she saw her mother start to grin. The bottom of Adria's stomach felt raw and food tasted nasty to her with every meal, but that too would pass once Jasper and Ontari got back with that medicinal herb to make her tummy feel better. Right now, seeing her mother smile made her feel better. Maybe being a Nightblood wouldn't be a bad thing. Her mom was a fisherman and leader and Ontari was a healer and a leader... Maybe she could learn to be a Kanic like Raven... and learn to lead people in making great sky ships again.

As a large swath of her hair fell, Adria grew concerned by the large amount of hair she was losing but the feeling of the blade comforted her as it brought about a sense of normality. The last time Adria had her hair cut this short was during the summer time when her home got unbearably hot. Occasionally Adria would reach up while the blade was away to get a sense of what was happening with her hair. Noticing that action by Adria the person cutting her hair handed her a mirror. What she saw made her heart jump.

The places where her hair had fallen out had been mirrored on the opposite side of her head by being shaved. The remaining hair was trimmed down to create a pallet where an outline of a wave had been shaved in. The rest of her hair was intact though it had been formed into a narrow long Mohawk mass on her head that made it look like curving froth of a wave. The roots of her blond hair was growing dark from the lack of lemons dying to it, but now with the way her hair was sitting, it looked like the dark waters of her home.

"You like?" The woman spoke. Adria grinned as she wrapped her arms around the woman. It was strange to meet someone from another Kru who had been part of her mother's original people. The blacked curved wave marking on the woman's arm were like her mother's. Given recent events they were fresh but spoke that several had been from her defeating several demons possessed people as Niylah did her best to keep away from Alie's cult. One of these demons had been Raven and that was a shared kill with one of Clarke's warriors.

"I like..." Adria spoke feeling normal again. Adria needed to eat more but the way her face looked made her look older. More adult. In the next hour Clarke would be meeting with her and her mother to ask about the dive she had done into the realm of the dead. Adria knew her father was there... but to walk into such a place such as the "Next World" and return from it must have been an adventure.

Adria had listened to Raven speak of her time in the sky and now as she had sat for this haircut, she had listened to Niylah talk about the woods. Both places of strange wonder and adventure... But this next tale would be the hardest as it would have be about the place where only a few had been able to return from by sheer luck and will. The land of the dead.

Adria listened to the wind blowing through the trees and sensed that it sounded somewhat like the waves of her home. But the sounds of the animals is what caught her attention. The large owl that roosted in the top the Skaikru's arch had over the last few nights become thin. It was pretty bad when the poor thing was no longer afraid of people and was eating dried meat like a cat from one of the warriors on guard duty. But the puppies that some of the Skaikru had found had started to become a welcome sight as their energy spoke of the hope to come.

Though not dogs, they liked being around food and behaved when people were around. Several of the pups had been named and found a place among the people there as they help bring comfort to the injured. One of them named Bullworth, given how his ears looked, was sitting near her and was studying her with his green eyes.

Bullworth liked following Harper and Senua around as he liked running with them. But as he started to sniff around her, the gentle pup started to sneak up to some of Adria's cut off hair and started to realize that though sick she wasn't a threat. Adria had lost her father and Bullworth sensed a kindred spirit in that he had lost his mother. Adria wanted to run, but the stick Bullworth had sought out and brought to her stated that he wanted to play with her. Though her sickness prevented her to... Bullworth sensed that if she threw... he would fetch.

Senua... had been in a dark place and Bullworth and Harper had slowly brought the former Reaper back to a sense of who she was before the Mountain Men had gotten a hold of her. The Reapers were said to be monsters that feasted on human flesh... Hunted like wolves or worse... Bears...

Adria had seen a bear on the shoreline once when her father had taken her out on one of the trawlers to fish. The large hulking animal was by the shore seeking out some fish. It was strange for such a creature to get close the ocean, but the river emptying out into the sea was where it was heading for its meal. The strange bulky beast was a creature that almost looked playful. Senua may have been less of the playful type given some of the stories about her. Boo, her father had stated that Bears were a creature that could tear you apart if you came across them, it was best to avoid them if you could and when possible knowing that if you saw one, it was best to keep your distance.

If Senua had acted like a bear... then maybe she would like fruit as her father had spoken that these animals liked fruit.

Offer fruit at a distance and be friend.

Just don't throw it... That would make bears mad. And possibly Senua.

Maybe making Senua her friend would take time. But it could be done... Harper was Senua's friend...

Ontari had gotten to known the woman and let her near the Nightbloods that she was in command of... Then maybe given that she was changing into a Nightblood like her mother... then maybe because of that she could become close to Senua as her friend. Nightbloods and Hundred had wolf spirits in them.

Since wolves and bears tended to hunt on the same grounds, then maybe Senua the bear would like Adria the wolf from the sea.

In light of the recent journey that Ontari and the rest of the Warriors of the Hundred had to make. Senua had been given the role of watching over the Nightbloods or more like them watching over her during that phase of her being recently freed from her chains. Bullworth had been not afraid of her as he had brought the former Reaper back to her humanity as her bear spirit was calmed down. Somehow Bullworth had dragged her mom to meet with Senua and the two had started to speak about their pain and darkness.

Being around Luna had been almost peaceful as Senua had wanted to learn to cope with her own inner darkness like her mother had. Reapers had been seen as monsters, but to have been resouled by Skaikru's magic and medicine was something that was remarkable. Some had seen a monster, but all Adria could see was a scared woman who like many who had come to her Metal island home wanted to find peace. Senua was powerful and yet gentle, it was like the woman was scared of her own power. Maybe the bear in her needed to have more apples and fruit given to it along with some fish.

Bears liked fish and when Adria was more able enough she was going to get her fishing line or spear and land the biggest fish for Senua.

Bullworth started to nuzzle over to Adria's feet and look up at her. Long dark muzzle and gray fur and low-lying ears the coywolf looked up at her before yawning. His body language spoke:  _I like you, can I sit with you?_

Adria reached out and held out the back of her hand and Bullworth sniffed it. The response was:  _Alright, you good person, I sit here with you._

The animal seemed to have found a new pack and friend in the process.

Niylah grinned.

"Looks like you made a friend." Niylah spoke as she moved to dust off Adria's shoulders. Bullworth moved his head up and scuffed a throaty gargle/half bark in confirmation.

"Yeah..." Adria spoke as the animal looked at her as he slowly looked around as small group of Azgeda warriors approached the gate with a large trunk with them. This caught people's attention as it brought several Skaikru and Trikru guards to the front of the gate. Adria had heard tales of the Azgeda-Trikru conflict growing up, but other than Ontari... who had been nice... she hadn't seen another Azgeda around... though she may have... just that their marking might have been buried under bandages.

There was tension in the air as several guards held their weapons at the ready.

A voice announced over the loud box that Clarke was needed at the gate. It had something to do with something that King Roan of Azgeda was delivering a package for Ontari and the rest of Skaikru. A peace offering between Azgeda and Skaikru.

The look on Clarke of Skaikru's face was of worry and concern.

Her mother sensed it too and moved to speak with the Skai Princess herself about what had troubled her.

* * *

 

Clarke watched as a large chest was delivered to the gates of Arkadia with ice Nation guards around it. Clarke Sighed as she knew what the contents could possibly be. Walking through the gates she was greeted by a guard on watch who spoke to her.

"Ma'am. These Warriors showed up a little while ago with that crate." Clarke sighed hard.

"Crap... Roan." Clarke shook her head with that she walked over to the guard surrounding the large chest. "Are the contents for Ontari's judgement?" The large warrior just nodded.

Clark stared at the situation before her.

Realizing that the riot that would take place when everyone in Arcadia realized that the person who had slain so many of their fellow Arkers was within this box was going to be a headache for everyone here.

Clarke pounded on the box. The muffled growl from within spoke volumes. Clarke put her weight down on the lid to keep it from being thrown open and looked in to see Echo. The warrior looked furious.

Looking back at Arcadia Clark realized that she had to come up with a plan in order to prevent the mess that was coming. Seeing Luna and Emori, the seed of an idea was starting to sprout. Clark hoped that she had enough time to pull up a small miracle and possibly save a life in the process. Throw in Niylah into the set... Clarke might have a chance to pull this off.

"Get some shovels... I want a hole dug just outside of the walls big enough to hold this chest." Clarke spoke to the guard near her. Taking the hint that she wanted to talk to these warriors in private the guard left as several other warriors approached from a distance.

" _You plan to bury it_?" The warrior declared in his native tongue.

"She is not my kill... she is Ontari's. I just want the contents to know some of what her victims went through before they died." The gulp spoke volumes. "When Ontari gets back, we will dig up the contents out for her to properly punish."

_"What happened to Blood Must Not Have Blood?"_

" _This isn't Blood Must Have Blood... It is the Right of the Kill... Punish the one who needs to be punished, not the innocent... or the messenger, but the one truly with the blood on their hands."_

_"Then burying her..."_

_"My way of keeping an eye on her ass."_  The images of horror could be seen across the warriors faces. This wasn't the gentle Clarke of Skaikru they had heard of; this was the pissed off Wanheda that slaughtered the Mountain Men where they stood.

The image of being buried alive was enough to make these men think twice about questioning her.

Clarke hoped that image was enough to ensure that her plan worked.

This was going to be a game of Three card Monty, mixed with a game of Slamball if it was going to be pulled off.

For Echo's sake, it had work... or the woman for good or ill was going to be killed by those who had lost family and friends of the members of Agro Station who had died in the creation of Asphodel Meadows.

* * *

 

Erik Jackson was watching Niylah tend to the injured as she came in to help the medical staff. Over the last few days, he and the Trikru trader had gotten to know each other. Niylah seemed to have known what Abby's daughter Clarke had done during those months she had lived in the woods. Occasionally Niylah would let it slip that she and Clarke had shared a bed together... Friends with Benefits as it was called in the old days. But it was the segments of their conversations they were having illustrated some of what Clarke was dealing with in her life. Clarke's Trauma was not so much in killing people, but in the killing of innocent Children that hit home to her core as a healer.

Clarke had spent days after the Mount Weather Battle going through and taking the bodies of the children out of the mountain and properly burying them. Clarke was so much like her mother. Maybe that was the reason that seeing so many dead innocents had forced the young woman not to want to come home. Niylah had been that oasis during that time of pain. Erik nodded at this.

The Griffin women tended to want to take the weight of the world upon their shoulders. For those like Erik who were their friends and confidants... They had to step in to pull them back. Crap... Clarke had been a mess because of Lexa's betrayal at the Mountain. Clarke had been so open with the Commander, but to be forced to take on a foe alone and Lexa breaking her heart... No wonder Clarke wasn't more screwed up.

Lexa had come clean in that Emerson had learned that he had the members of Lexa's extended family with in the walls of Mount Weather. Would Clarke have been the same way if the Mount Weather personnel had learned that they had her Mother? But to dwell on the might have been wasn't conductive to what needed to be done. Lexa had done her best to patch things up with Clarke prior to her death... Clarke was still hurting but knowing that some uploaded version of Lexa was keeping an eye out for her had allowed Clarke to move on. Maybe it was the reason that Niylah had gotten the blessing to become Clarke's lover. Both had been through loss and pain, and in a way, they had become the center of each other's world.

Niylah was proving to be a decent field medic. Some of the potions that she knew of were being added to the index of medical supplies that Arkadia so needed. Even Emori's "Sleep cloth" was added to the supply list. Amazing how it was created with a mix of alcohol and remnants of old Lithium batteries. A common thieves tool here on the ground, but right now in controlled amounts it could be used to knock people out for surgical operations. It was mid 1800s level tech, but it was better than nothing.

Even Niylah's memory potion was something that he wanted to do some more studies on. So far it was useful in treating the attempted suicides of several individuals by causing them to temporarily forget why they were in so much pain.

The memories would come back slowly but without the heavy burdens that the "uncut and raw" deeply emotional versions had in their past. Bree was a little off center at times as she was recovering. She had questions that she would raise at times about herself and other things. Mostly Bree's questions had been about generic stuff, but given that last time that he had seen her, Bree had adopted a sort of messy Grounder look to her and was hanging near the stables. Maybe it was being around those large animals that provided a respite to Bree's troubled and conflicted emotional state. The large animals and her seemed to get along on a spiritual level.

Though hearing stories from the various riders and messengers was enough for her to start learning about the far off places that she might want to visit and become curious about this new world again.

The horses seemed to have taken a liking to her as well as several riders who were talking with her. Even Lincoln's horse Janus had taken to like her as they were feeling the loss of a way of life or a person near them. Because of this Clarke had asked Bree to learn some of Grounder Oral History as a way to gain information as well as give her a purpose in the days to come. It was rough, but the challenge seemed to have given the former party girl a new lease of life. Maybe it was that part of Bree's personality that made it easy for her to mesh into this world. Because of this, Bree had learned much about the various plagues, wars, as well as various large political events that had taken place in the past that would prove vital in the years to come. The sheer wealth of information Bree had gained was becoming vital for the various members of Arkadia to come to understand the Grounders better and the Grounders more about them.

As long as Bree was kept social, she tended not to want to return to being a raving wild creature she had been. Though a little wildness could be useful as Niylah decided to tweak the dosage on Bree some. Bree would still need to be taking the potion for a little while longer but its effects had proved helpful in allowing Bree to start to retake her life. Erik watched as Niylah handed the cup to Bree to drink from as the trading post woman moved to put some ointment on the rope burn on the girl's neck. Bree had lucked out by the number of ways that she had wanted to kill herself as most of them counteracted some part of the consistent death she was seeking. Seeing the young woman have the raw spot on her neck being treated, there was a sense that Bree would become stronger because of this experience. Bree seemed to rock some from the soft humming Niylah was doing keeping her mind calm from the tenderness of her neck wound. That was when Clarke entered the Room.

"Niylah..." Clarke spoke before going to the local Grounder Dialect. Now... to say Clarke spoke something that caught her attention was an understatement as Niylah came to a slow stop. Erik hadn't caught enough of the Grounder language to make sense of it, but it had something about killing or death. But Erik got the answer quickly from the Trikru Trader.

"Right to the Kill?" Niylah spoke in full English. This caught Bree's attention.

"Wait... we created that rule after Wells died... when Murphy got mistaken for being his killer." Bree seemed to bring things into perspective. It wasn't often that most of the older adults or Non-delinquents heard about these kids early experiences on the ground.

The weight of that decision could be felt as Erik realized that he might have to step in. If these three women were going to break the law, then he had to be obligated to tell Kane and Abby about what was going on.

"Clarke... we are talking about screwing with people so that..." Bree concerns were coming through.

"Bree... If we don't do this... then many will die... We have Blood must have Blood and that cost Finn his life. No... We must do this so that the other Kru can see us as being strong. Having a moral code. Yes, I want to have a trial so that Echo and the others involved in the killing of the members of Agro station can be found innocent or guilty of their crimes... I am not talking about letting these people escape or loose upon the world like I did with Emerson... But I want to ensure that the code that we live by here on the Ground is understood. Our parents might not have been in our position when we landed... the crap we went through misjudging someone for a single action. No... The Charter says that a person charged with a crime must have a fair trial. I don't want a mob rule incident taking place again. I want justice... But I want it done with honor. This is Ontari's Right of the Kill. If we break this are we any different than those who go out and kill some member of some clan that wronged them. We have to ensure that Ontari shows strength, power, and compassion so that her position of Heda remains intact." Clarke spoke as the other young women came to an understanding.

"Then... we are going to do this we better have a plan." Bree spoke as she felt a belch come up from her stomach. The embarrassment was enough to break the tension.

"Well I have found a few others... They are willing to help." Clarke spoke as she looked around the room.

"Niylah... Could you grab one of those sleep rags that Emori has been making?" The Trikru Trader looked over and nodded.

"How about I get Emori?" Niylah spoke looking back at Clarke.

"That will do..." Clarke spoke with a deep sigh.

"The others?" Bree spoke seeing that she was being looked at by Erik.

"They are elsewhere... I need you to keep the attention and people away from the stables... If someone goes running to them, I need you to ensure that the horses are either set loose or kept in the stables." Clarke presented a shock rod to Bree.

"So... I am not a diversion... I am a guard to ensure if the plan goes south that no one gets away." Bree Sighed.

"Yes... and if all else fails... Don't tell Jasper that I stole a bottle of his Shine."

"Is this going to be a party or is it going to be the same thing that took place at the Bridge?" Bree stated.

"More like pulling a Monty and Jasper when they decided to peek on the girls bathing."

"If all else fails... Flash boobs, cause distraction. Gotcha..."

"Skaikru and your traditions are just weird... but... if it is a plan... I shall flash my breasts too. Though it will be the first time I will do it outside of our bed chambers. If it part of your courtship rights... then." Niylah spoke.

"I know that you were sleeping with Clarke, but..." Bree said as she got up.

"My bed is open to only those who know my heart." Niylah corrected.

"Deep girl... Real deep." Bree expressed.

"That is what Clarke says when we make love." Bree just cleared her throat.

Erik stopped cold as he realized that whatever was up... he had to tell... well minus the fact the part about Niylah and Clarke's nightly sexcapades.

That part would be in the medical records in the event if any vaginal or rectal tearing took place from foresaid act.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I brought back Bree. I sort of wanted to have a character who was Hundred but was changed by the City of Light in a negative way. Also, I wanted to use and expand upon the lore and types of drugs the Grounder's had to treat PTSD given their society. Most of the research on this drug comes from actual research the DOD is doing on PTSD.  
> Sorry about the cliff hanger but in the next chapter we get to see what is going to play out.


	14. 14 – Echoes of the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke and the members of the Hundred in Arkaida must do their best to keep Echo's location secret until Ontari gets beck from Azgeda. Meanwhile in Azgeda, Ontari, Bellamy and Monty must end a siege in Garden Station so that they can get to Jasper's stash of Herbs to help Abby treat for radiation poisoning. What they learn is that an old chapter of Ontari's and Bellamy's past is about to rear its ugly head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update the story.
> 
> I been a little busy but I have applied that time to make in this chapter all that much better and expand upon this world. 
> 
> I hope that you enjoy,

 

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14 – Echoes of the Past

 

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Texas of the Plains riders rode into Arkadia. It had been a few days since his father had told him to head to Polis to inform his mother that they were heading back to the city. Texas had heard about the discovery that the black rain was coming. The members of the Floukru Village of Derrik had been nearly wiped out because of it. Pure poison falling from the skies like the stories of old. Over a hundred souls had perished before the sickness was stopped by the healers of Skaikru.

Now as he passed by several Ice Nation warriors standing next to a large chest outside of the Skaikru village, there was a flurry of activity taking place as Texas suspected what was inside of foresaid chest.

As Texas neared the stables he noticed a fairly petite girl with long blonde hair and a slender feline looking face. Even from what he had seen of her figure, she was very attractive even as she was grooming a two-headed horse that she was talking to.

"Easy there Janus. I know that you miss him. I do too." The woman was speaking in fluent Gonasleng as the noticeable bandages on her wrists could be seen. The redness bleeding through them bespoke that someone wanted their goblet of blood from her and had gotten it. She was Skaikru and possibly given she was alive spoke the payment had been enough to spare her.

Texas rode up noticing that there was some tension in her stance. The animal she was grooming was picking up on it as well. This type of tension was usually seen before a battle. The girl seemed to be checking the main hall doorway of the main Skaikru village structure. It was as if something was going to happen.

"Clarke. Luna. I hope that this works?" Texas overheard. The last thing he wanted to be in the middle of was some battle between groups wanting to settle an old score.

"Hope what works?" Texas spoke as the girl turned around in total shock. The blonde girl's face looked like she was caught sneaking out a lover out of her home before her parents or elders returned home. "You know if you are trying to sneak someone's lover in or out... it would go better if your distraction wasn't doing her best to act sober."

"Oh Shit!!!" The blonde spoke as she realized that whatever was going on had been discovered. Turning to see the woman with a messy head of hair pull over a hood and drench herself in copious amounts of some ale. That was when the girl decided that another distraction was needed. This was when she quickly sprinted from her place by the horse and proceeded to grab him by the shirt and pulled him off of his own steed. "Sorry about doing this but... they need a better distraction... What is your name?"

"Texas..." before he got the chance to continue she had pulled off her shirt to reveal her naked breasts. Before he could protest any further, she sneaked over to him as if she was going to present herself to made love to and started to slide her hand along the crotch of his leggings. The number of Ice Nation and Trikru warriors hooted at his brazenness to bed this girl in public was enough for her friends to take note to change their plans.

"Texas??? Oh... what the fuck..." The young woman pulled him close with her now removed garment and pulled it around the back of her neck. "This isn't me making a move on you, but I need your help." That was when he was dragged into the stables with her and pushed against the wall. Part of the distraction had worked making everyone look at them and instead of the woman splashing herself in the inebriation concoction.

"What is going on?" Texas could spurt out as she slammed him against the back of the stables.

"Listen you hansom piece of ass..." The girl vented in anger then she kissed him. "I might be a horny slut who out of dumb luck was caught doing some shit I don't even remember doing while drunk, got selected because I was young, healthy and had a womb to bare babies with--- got my ass strapped into a descent pod and dropped onto freaking Trikru land.” This girl was telling her story, mostly as a distraction but to also inform him of her past. “Attacked, scared--- I lost my friend Roma due to some fucking trap impaling her through the chest. I got dragged into the freaking Mountain--- was drilled into and sucked by those fucking blood sucking vampires who wanted to drain me dry because my blood was the secret sauce for them escaping their underground prison. I saw several of my friends die before and afterwards because of crap like that." The girl kicked the back of the stable and grunted so loudly that her body heaved her backwards as if she was faking passionate lovemaking with him.

"I don't mind what gender I have sex with or the number of people I am with--- I just want to help protect those I came down with and their families. I am just tired of surviving. **_I want to fucking live._** " The last part was screamed by the girl as if she was in the throes of passion. The way that the young woman was grabbing onto the waist of his leggings stated that if she had to she was going to rip his clothes off to get to his manhood...She was going to do it without hesitation.

Then realizing who and what this woman was now forced him to understand what was about to be taking place and it wasn’t lovemaking!

"You are one of the warriors that came down with Wanheda!" Texas spoke. Whatever was going on this young woman wanted to make sure something took place. Faking a public sex act with him was more than just a distraction. Texas had blundered into something having to do with the honor of her fellow warriors. Then he got his confirmation.

"Yes... I am one of the Hundred... Now make a choice because I don't want to hurt you---" Then she shifted to a seductive whisper to communicate the details to him. "I just want to ensure that Ontari's _Right of the Kill_ is kept. I have to break a lot of my people's laws in doing so--- For the good of my people--- For justice to be had. Fair and honorable justice like the tales of old. Are you going to help me?" She said in the most sexual way possible. Shit his manhood was growing to its full height at the way it rolled off her tongue. The passion her body was screaming as she felt over his body only highlighted that that this cause before her was vitally important for her to fulfill.

Texas didn't know what was going on, but if someone was willing to go against their people to ensure justice was to be done--- even if it was going to be carried out by a member of another Kru. He now found himself in a predicament between this girl and her friends and the rest of her Kru and their right of the who was going to kill that prisoner in the chest... and the way that this girl had a firm grip on his manhood with her fingers, which she was snaking into his leggings with rampant importance, only highlighted that urgency.

"Is this _Blood must have Blood_?" Texas spoke emphasizing the last part in the Language of the Trees. The young woman's grasp relented some.

He had hit a nerve with those words.

"Refined... _Right of the Kill_ means that a person must be judged by their actions as well as the intent behind it. You are not killed for being there, you are punished because you either ordered it or have the blood on your hands for fulfilling an act of vengeance upon the innocent. Nia, Emerson..." There was a pause before another name was spoken. "Finn." That name was known for the crimes the Skaikru boy had committed in murdering those members of that Trikru village in cold blood. Any thought about further details were put on hold as the sound of footsteps could be heard approaching the stables from outside. Texas quickly removed his tunic and leaned in and kissed the young woman to play along with the part he had been placed into. The girl blinked a few times realizing she better make it look good for their audience.

If anyone saw them being any more clothed than they were, then whatever this girl and her friends were trying to do would be undermined.

"Texas..." Her reaction was strange as she started to realize that she might have an ally in this situation. Taking the hint, she proceeded to unfasten her leggings and let them fall to the ground as the person approaching started to speak in the language of the Trees.

" _Listen young man... whatever you and that girl are up to..._ " Texas caught who it was--- It was one of the older Plains Riders of his immediate clan- and his godfather. Seeing the injury on the girl's neck Texas decided to use that to their advantage as being the reason that they had stopped in their passion to study her injuries. That and… Texas felt the softness of the woman’s flesh under his fingers as he rubbed her bare lower back that she was taking note of this as well.

"---I see that you have gone through a dark time while I was gone." Texas moved to touch the clearly visible noose injury on the young woman's neck before reaching to lift up one of her arms. Now up-close, Texas saw how it had become so injured. The clear pattern of an attempt to slit her own wrists spoke to someone scared of facing the horrors to come. The sense of seeing two attempts to kill herself so recent after being freed from the Red Witch spoke to the horrors she must have come to face with when the realization that the fires of Praimfaya were returning.

This pointed to the fears this woman had gave Texas an in point to where to guide the conversation as well as provide a cover of why they had stopped in their acts of passion. "You think that I had left you to die in the flames of Praimfaya." Texas touched the injury on the woman's neck with compassion. "I would not do that to you with all of my heart... We are in this together... I would bare the pain of a thousand cuts before I would break my word to you. I will offer up my own blood and soul to you as my act of unity with you." Texas moved and placed his hand on her cheek. The Skai warrior of the Hundred relaxed as she realized that she had found an ally. "I will accept that I do not understand fully what this Right of the Kill means or how it came about--- but if it is important to you, then I will follow it as it is part of your people’s customs. You have a code of strength and honor. You fight to bare the weight of the world on your shoulders… You don’t have to do it alone. I have been through the darkness too as that Witch tempted me too with her world of lies. I love you--- faults and all--- Whether you want to bare one, five, ten children, or take that number in from those who had become orphans, my heart is yours's. It has and always will be yours's. You have fought your way free of the Mountain along with the other youth like yourself. You had the strength to overcome that--- Then let us fight through this battle together against the fires to come." The young woman sensed that he was willing to go with her on this including protect whatever action she was going to take to ensure her goal was to be accomplished. That and his speech seemed to have wooed her.

"Texas--- I--- I understand." The woman spoke as several who were wondering what was going on had started to move back as this conversation between lovers played out. Some lingering to catch of glimpse of the bare unmarked flesh of this young warrior that was as rare as seeing a flower in the dead of winter. The woman kissed him as she felt a great weight lifted from her shoulders. Then blushing when she saw the elder behind her as she started to scoot the both of them out of the elder’s eyesight. Their audience seemed to come to the understanding that the girl was okay with public nudity, but mushy love stuff, she was getting embarrassed.

" _I should let you two be._ " The elder Plains Rider realizing that these two though openly affectionate had much to talk about their future together. Also that Texas's speech was his way of helping his lover through her personal darkness. The Skai warrior sensing this turned to see that their audience was leaving before leaning in and sighing.

"So, did your friends accomplish the goal they wished to do?" Texas spoke as he knelt down to pick up his own shirt and watched as the Skaikru woman pulled up her own leggings. Texas took note that other than the recent injuries to her neck and wrists. She was a blank slate as any newborn child.

Looking around he found her shirt and handed it back to her. Texas had heard tales about some warriors not being marked by their clans as it allowed them the ability to infiltrate other clans as spies. In those cases, those individuals belonged to high ranking members of their clans. But this--- to be unmarked--- only made this young woman's beauty only that much more exotic.

Were the rest of the Hundred the same way among the Skaikru?

Texas watched as he saw that the young woman had taken notice he was looking at her as being attractive by his standards. Maybe even exotic.

"Thank you---" The woman spoke as he realized that she had taken note of his own markings as well. "Plains Rider, right? The Horizon Bird pattern of your markings speak of it." Texas hadn't realized that she was just as intrigued of his own marked body.

"I am---" The woman turned to see that her friend with the bottle was being led away by several Skaikru warriors. The sigh of relief and the relaxation of her body language spoke volumes. "Well everything is going according to plan."

"Was the capture of your friend successful?" The woman looked at him.

"Yes--- she was supposed to be the distraction, but I had to improvise when you noticed her." Texas understood.

"Then why would your friend want to be captured?"

"It is easier to break into a prison, then out of one. That and she is one of the guards." This is when she explained the plan. "A prisoner, her, goes in, then she as a guard comes out. A full box goes in, then an empty weighted box comes out. If anyone looks, there was always a prisoner in the cell. No one checks if there are more guards coming and going. They only are looking for a missing prisoner."

"Then..."

"If there is no Prisoner missing then, no one will be looking at the cell. They will be looking at the box in the ground. The Ice Nation prisoner--- the one in the box--- we have to hide her as another prisoner. This is to ensure that we can protect her from being killed before she is to be judged by Ontari. There are many who wish for their pound of flesh from the woman for what she has done to them. They are willing to literally carve it from her flesh with a blade for every family member they lost to make themselves feel better." There was a shrug as the girl leaned over and started to smell her hands that had been within his leggings. "Crap you smell good." Then she blushed some. "Sorry about the make out--- I am not this usually sober or do this stuff this early in the day." The frankness of this caught him off guard.

"You do this often?" Texas spoke as there was a bit of a blush on her face.

"Not really--- I usually do this in private--- But when you are raised in a place that has a constant temperature most of your life--- Well I didn't feel the need to wear clothes full time until I started my education. Drove my parents' crazy. Then came as I got older I started to do all sorts of stupid stuff. Drunkenness, smoking herbs, having sex with others--- in public." The woman sensed that telling her story to this stranger started to take the weight from her shoulders. "You were right--- I tried to kill myself because of the coming horrors of the Praimfaya. Ontari saved my life--- She is now Hundred--- I want to repay her. She gave me back my life. I want to honor her’s."

"You are honor bound to her?" Texas was starting to realize what was going on.

"Yes and No... I want to make sure that the person that is being brought here has the right to defend herself against the charges upon her. Ontari needs a win among my people. Protecting one of her’s not only ensures she has a win, but from what I heard. I sort of feel for this woman for what Nia put her through."

"You wish this person to escape?" The shake from the Skaikru's head stated otherwise.

"No... It is her level of involvement... She did wrong, but to be put to death because she was following an order that she might have protested, or Nia had placed her into a position where she had to obey or have a person they cared about might be put to death... Ontari went through that crap being Nia's servant. If Echo was in the same position- Echo deserves a slim chance for survival... I understand what it means to be banished. But death for following an order that was wrong... I would bare being struck with a shock lance ten... twenty times. Shit Bellamy was place in the same position when he was ordered to shoot Jaha when some rebels back on the station tried to leverage the life of Bellamy’s sister for compliance." Echo... now that was a name that was known... Though the politics of this current situation was becoming known. But the name Bellamy of Skaikru... Texas knew people who had lost family in that slaughter.

"What about the three hundred warriors that Skaikru killed! What about them?" Texas got his response.

"Indra knows their punishment. She knows that Pike was responsible for what happened. What he did to get the warriors that followed him, she knows what she wants from them. Pike is dead. He like Nia gave the order to do this crappy mess. But what about the warriors that followed them out of grief or extortion or banishment. What about them? Yes--- you want to punish them... then punish them for what they did--- being lured into a situation where their pain and grief blinded them to all rationality. Let Nia and Pike be burned with the dead. The warriors that followed them will have to live with what they have done, but make sure they are punished for the right reasons. You cannot undo death! There is no coming back from that. Niylah and Octavia have full right to Shock Lash Bellamy for what he did. Indra... has picked hers to punish. Monty's mom is dead--- Lucas is Dead--- Monroe is dead--- If you want to punish someone--- fine, but the number of ones still alive that were hurt by Pike's action deserve to have the chance to say: I am wrong--- I will be punished. Let my people carry out the punishment. Let Ontari as your leader be the one to judge me. No one else."

Those words started to make sense... This group of individuals wanted to ensure that if _Blood must have blood_ was to be carried out, it was carried out upon the right individual. Additionally, those who were the unwilling participants at least had the chance to gain some leniency with the Commander when it came to their crimes. In some cases, banishment would be better than death.

If this young woman had to break several of her people's rules to ensure that justice was had. Then her cause was right. She didn't want to break her people's laws, but she could not stand by while someone with a grudge might decide to take justice into their own hands.

"You are walking a fine line young Skaikru." This brought about a nod from the woman.

"It is..." That was when she offered her hand to him. "My name is Bree."

"Texas of the Plains Riders..." Texas realized that he was getting a clear blush from her.

"You know... I like you... I mean..." Texas grinned. Bree was getting tongue tied as she was realizing that this was becoming something serious.

"I like you too... Bree... though I sense that... your name has a deeper meaning or is longer than you like to say." The woman blushed.

"It does... It is short for Breanna. Which means: High, noble, exalted." Bree sensed that having a name like that and given how she had acted counteracted that. With a deep sigh, she continued. "Folks around here call me Bree the Maenad." The warrior name she had given was using a word or a bit of Skaikru slang he didn't understand. It showed on his face as he spoke the word aloud.

"Maenad?"

"Maenads were mythical creatures who had a love of inhibition, fornication and music, but when push came to shove were known to dismember men who crossed them or went against their gods."

"Such an interesting creature... So, I take it you are called that because of the inhibition, lovemaking, music or..." Texas had seen that side of her in the few brief moments he had known this young woman.

"The ripping of people apart---" This brought about an awkward look upon Bree's face. "Only did it when I was getting out of Mount Weather--- I vomited for a week from the stench of the blood that covered me. The rest of the aspects are me to a T--- I really don't like being violent. I use sex to get what I want." Bree looked at the horses in the stable and saw Janus looking at her sensing that she had found a connection. “And animals don’t mind if I am clothed or not.”

"Then the name is well earned." Bree was doing her best not to hype up her warrior skills. Most would be pleased to hear about this prowess in battle. Bree was shunning it.

"I didn't ask to be in this role. I love music. Hell, I was named after a style of singing that an artist of a band called the Foo Fighters my mother loved and how their lead singer sang."

"Bree is also a type of singing?" Now Texas was interested in this girl.

"It is a way of doing deep vocals where it sounds more like poetry than singing. It is very hard on the voices of who do it, but it is very primal."

"Well Bree of Skaikru all that can be said about you. Let us go and see if we can help your friends in keeping order and ensuring that this _Right of the Kill_ is honored by Ontari."

"Thank you." Bree spoke as she moved to rub the head of the two-headed horse she had been caring for. The animal's reciprocation and understanding was expressed as the creature knew that it had a role to play if something had gone wrong with the diversion that had taken place. "Janus, I know... Lincoln would have agreed with you in doing this." the creature nuzzled in response. "At least you didn't have to buck or act all crazy." The animal responded tapping its hoof on the ground. "I agree with you... you either wanted to trample Pike for what he did or at least be one of the animals with a harness on to quarter his ass."

Texas realized that this wild creature of a woman and the animal she was with were doing their best to rebuild the bonds with the people in the area.

These people were honor bound tighter than any kru... they were family.

They would fight to their last breath to defend that family. Even for the families who had lost kin over the recent events. If someone was going to be punished... it would be carried out. But for those who by circumstance had been dragged into the conflict... were as much victim as participant.

Bree was one of Wanheda's warriors.

They didn't ask to become warriors, but they did.

Maybe seeing something in Echo's punishment felt too close to their own.

If Echo was to be punished... then she would be punished... for the right damn thing and not the entire mess Nia had created an unleashed upon everyone.

 

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Ontari felt the Rover come to a stop. Hearing a tap from the driver's cabin Ontari and the others readied themselves for anything. But the voice from the front spoke that a friend was outside. Exiting the large vehicle Ontari stepped down to see two people she recognized from Arkadia: Miller the Elder Nate's Father and Clovis one of Roan's newer war chiefs. Clovis was known to Ontari as he often butted heads with Nia over battle plans, but when push came to shove... he pulled quite a few asses from the fire.

"It is good to see you kids here." The elder Miller said to the group. "Bellamy... Ontari..." Rank wasn't given. Maybe out of respect of Ontari's role here as a member of the Hundred. It wasn't what she expected as she was seen as fellow warrior of this group. For the most part information that she had become Clarke's second might not have gotten out this far since Clarke had announced her status to the Hundred. But given that their mission to retake this old flying vessel now had taken on new urgency with stories of the Black Rain striking villages along the coast were ever growing.

"David... It is good to see you again." Bellamy spoke as he looked at the elder warrior. Given how they were speaking illustrated that they knew each other from their time back when all of the sections of the "Ark" had been connected together. Ontari had studied some of that history while talking with this man's son Nathan. It was interesting as this part of their history was going to be repeating itself in the near future. These warriors had kept the Peace when the Ark had been in the sky... now these warriors were doing their best to be the troops on the ground in service to their leader. Many Azgeda warriors during the first days of this crisis had been drafted into the role these warriors had filled. It had been rough as attack had been a way of thinking for these warriors under Nia's command. Now with Roan... They had to change from attack to helping. When Roan had commanded that they had to treat these people as family and as fellow clan members, it had been hard. But seeing that some fellow Azgeda had been in that Cursed City of Light and the pain that those people were feeling... a few rose to the challenge. They were not so much War Chiefs, but were trusted among the other Kru... It was a hard first step to show this side of the Mighty Ice Nation, but the rewards had been great in the process.

Clovis had been one of those leaders that had earned the trust of the people of Azgeda and the other nations... He was one of the few War Chiefs that didn't get purged out by Roan... Clovis saw the big picture... Even with the battle of the Mountain Men... he sensed that Skaikru could be a powerful ally if properly courted.

Ontari had seen that first hand.

Skaikru had their problems, but were willing to obey under the right terms.

Lexa understood this...

Skaikru needed to change some of their ways to adapt to the situation they were in, but in doing so there had to be some compromises.

Pike was a mess that Nia had created...

A farmer pushed to his limit... wary of war against those who saw him and his people as trespassers, his village mates destroyed by a needless act of violence so Nia could have her war.

Would anyone be any different---?

Ontari looked around at the small camp that had sprung up. A mixture of various Kru were here. Most of these people where her kin... Not warriors... just farmers, blacksmiths... traders... servants... Ontari watched as a young girl brought a pitcher of water over to a young Floukru worker.

Images from Ontari’s own dark past started to surface as a situation like this had taken place under Nia’s rule. Ontari once was that very servant girl. But when Nia saw her Nightblood seeing hope…

Nia had slit the neck of the young boy who had caught her eye... right before her.

The worse part was Nia had her mop up the mess of split blood off of the castle floor with her own clothing. Ontari still had nightmares of being naked and having to wring out the blood into a mop bucket on that cold night.

When Ontari got back to Arkadia... she was going to announce that she was going to go through with the ceremony and have Nia's fucking body burned... Shit... she would rip her own clothes off and use them to make the torch to start that fire...

She didn't care every member of every kru saw her naked... She was going to start off things clean... And if being naked as the day she was born to do this ceremony, then so be it...

"Wounds of the past are still deep... Ontari." Ontari looked over to look at Clovis.

"They are War Chief Clovis." Ontari moved back into her native tongue. It felt good. "But maybe there can be some healing done to lessen the spread." Ontari grinned.

"I hear that you have gained some skills since we last met." Clovis was inquiring.

"Made some mistakes... didn't listen to some sound advice from some advisors that nearly got me killed. Cost a lot of lives... both friend and foe..." Ontari paused. "Learned that leadership isn't as easy as one thinks... it is with consequences... Though..." Ontari chewed on this. "if you find the right mentor who will teach you how to lead properly as their second, not as some puppet... you gain some true strength."

"You speak as if you have become someone's second." Clovis was right.

"I have..." Ontari spoke... "Wanheda's..." Ontari sighed. "... She was going to make me her second with Lexa's blessing so that I could receive the training I missed out on. Lexa's death... just... turned it into a mess. I should have stayed in Polis. Maybe my reign would have been less bloody than it had been. Now I am trying atone for my actions so that I am not demonized of being an insolent child that coveted power that she hadn't earned." Clovis grinned at her.

"You are starting to sound like a Heda I would follow." Clovis watched as he observed Harper and Jasper keeping track of them. "Those two warriors seem to have taken an interest in our conversation."

"Jasper and Harper. They are Hundred. They are my War Brother and Sister. They would die for me, they would fight to their last breath for me. As I would for them." Ontari spoke as she sensed that something bad was about to happen.

It did.

"War Chief Clovis. There is movement around the Skaikru settlement." The messenger spoke. The messenger seemed to be a little young. Crap... Most young Seconds were at least entering into adulthood. But this one still had the baby fuzz around his face.

"Show us." Clovis spoke as the young man led the group to a concealed overlook onto the settlement.

The view from this place was excellent for monitoring movement to and from the settlement. This is when Lexa appeared and knelt down unseen by the rest of the group.

"The place is a fortress. No wonder they couldn't get in. I need you to ask Clovis and the others about how this place was taken?" Ontari looked out upon the crashed the old Skiakru village ship. Then Bekka appeared.

"Agro Station. I remember seeing this place when it was still in orbit. The place was designed for orbital crop growth. Mostly it was to feed the personnel in the stations as well as Asteroid Miners who needed to loop back to Earth after dong a mining run out to the Belt. They over built it to protect the crops inside, boy I heard about some of the fruit they were growing. The old Antarctic crews used to call anything fresh, such as vegetables Freshees." Bekka spoke giving her memories to Ontari of some of the inside of the structure. The hanging gardens, trays filled with wheat and soil based crops. Trees flayed out to the point where they were flat as the tops of tables, but yet still produced fruit.

"This was a farm ship?" Ontari started to realize that though this was her people's land, Skaikru knew more about this place than she did.

"Home to six hundred people when it was still flying." This was Jasper speaking. "My home for countless years before I got sent down with the rest of the Hundred." Ontari had no idea that Skaikru had farmed on this scale.

"This isn't a fortress... This is a self-contained settlement designed to survive anything thrown at it short of it falling from the sky." Ontari realized that to take this place and save the people of the nearby villages she needed to learn more than ever how this place worked. Then looking at what the messenger had spoken of she knew of one-way in. The place had a group of riders returning from a hunt. "Looks like they have been hunting." Ontari spoke studying the situation.

"They do that every few days." Clovis spoke.

"The place is a farm... why are they not raiding the crops in there?" Ontari spoke.

"I don't know... maybe they don't know how to run the hydroponics system." Jasper spoke. As the Elder Miller came over to speak.

"We were in the process of getting back online when we had to leave to meet up with a supply group."

"So what did you do?" Ontari spoke as she started to understand the situation before her.

"The group of Arkers and the Floukru left the station with a skeleton crew along with some troops so that we could rush to one of the settlements to see what work had been done in tracking down the replacement parts that needed to be forged."

"The place was unguarded?" Ontari spoke trying to understand the situation.

"Not really." This is when a broad-faced dark skinned Skaikru woman approached the group. "Bobbi Goodwin, Ma'am..." Ontari studied the woman. Warrior eyes. "Most of the repair group needed to see the find that one of the local villages had found. Given the size most of us left to aid in moving the materials here. So other than a few Azgeda soldiers and a couple of Floukru mechanics who was working on patching the hull we had to leave to transport the water converter salvaged from Hydra station here along with several tanks of Hydrazine."

"Youch..." Jasper spoke understanding why most of the group had left. "...No wonder you left to get the stuff. If any of that stuff got hot or ignited, probably would have wiped a village or two off of the map."

"Hydrazine... what--- wait... that is the stuff that Wanheda used to burn three hundred Trikru warriors when they attempted to attack that scouting vessel you came down in Jasper." Ontari added remembering the details of some of the stories that some of the Hundred told of their first days on the ground.

"Yeah... But when the converter is used, it can produce a lot of water. Since there are no wells nearby, the water that can be made might be the only drinkable stuff when combined with the urine scrubbers."

The situation made sense.

Skaikru had to leave so that they didn't get blamed for causing another mess. But leaving the place unguarded like this would have not been a reason for attack. There had to be something more going on.

"Those bastards fucking moved in." Bryan spoke fuming as he approached.

Ontari had seen the young warrior around.

He had been through an emotional struggle between protecting his Kru or siding with his leader. A man who had saved his life and helped him fight to survive during his first days on the ground.

Kru had won out, but with a price that he was still struggling with.

Now being back here was being a living hell for the young man.

Like her, Bryan had seen the worse that the Ice Nation could dish out. He saw monsters, not families.

"I hate that damn flag." Bryan spoke as Ontari turned to see the flag Bryan was talking about and her black blood went cold.

"Those are the bastards that you fought when you came down?" Ontari realized that these were the monsters that were to be feared.

"What!!!! You think I will make peace with the people that killed my friends in front of me... No... I want to kill them **all**! I want them to pay for all of the lives they ruined and taken." Ontari decided to respond in her own terms.

"No... I agree with you fully... these are the monsters and they need to be slain. They served Nia... stole me from my Mother's arms... They held my village hostage... Oh... I want to slay them as much as you do. I want to strip naked and bathe in their warm pulsing blood dripping from their slit necks and relish in the feeling that I have taken back the power they have stolen from me. I want to take their heads and place them upon pikes in every village they had attacked to stand as a message for the next ten generations, that these men’s actions are the reasons that people will walk through Hell and fires of Praimfaya to seek out revenge for those they had lost. No Bryan of Skaikru, my history is known to them. Do you wish to join me in my blood bath of righteous vengeance upon these pieces of--- foul rat dung?" Ontari spat those last few words out.

 

* * *

 

 

Bryan just blinked. The dark imagery that Ontari spoke just threw him off as he didn't know how much she wanted to skin these bastards alive- Literally- with her bare hands---. Crap… she was offering to have a bathtub filled with these bastards’ own blood and share a bath with him in it. Bryan had heard of how kinky and scary Ontari could be, but at the same time--- how did Jasper and Clarke deal with this girl? Stab you one moment in fury, fuck you sensless in pleasure the next.

"Okay..." he cleared this throat. “So--- your history is---" Bryan was processing vengeance that would make the Claw Man cringe. That and--- good grief she made Bree look like Raven in her sex life.

"Bryan of Skaikru--- These fucking bastards are the Slavers that stole me from my home. We are in agreement on they must die. When do you want your revenge? Because I will be by your side when we unleash a level of vengeance upon them that will even make the gods of the underworld come to fear what we are about to do." Oh… Shit! Homicidal Grounder. Very Friendly Homicidal who…

"Give me a moment---" Bryan cleared his throat again. Maybe Ontari's concept of wrath was a mellow one compared to what Bryan wanted. For her--- oh--- the dark place he was going to was just the start of where she wanted to go with these bastards once she got her hands on them. "--- These assholes are slavers. The guys we thought were warrior Grounders who tried to get into my home are not civilians--- These monsters are monsters that---"

"Made your life Hell, made my life Hell." Ontari's eyes looked almost feral. If Ontari could gut one of the strays walking about from here--- she would have done it--- without question… and offered up slices of the man’s flesh wrapped in some sliced fruit to feast off of to him while she was murdering the fool for all the bad things that had been done to her.

Bryan had to reign her in quickly before she marched down there and got killed.

"Let's come up with a plan with Bellamy." Bryan stated as he studied the situation. Ontari looked to almost want to kill him. “The only reason that I am stating this is that there are like… eighty guys down there and I think at your best, you can only take ten. That and Jasper would be a mess if you got killed.” Hearing Jasper’s name brought Ontari back to reality. Realizing that Bryan was looking out for her out of the need of someone she loved was enough for her to pull back. This wasn’t a retreat in her eyes, but something else. That she realized that she now had a family that was looking out for her.

Ontari looked at him with compassion now.

Bryan now realized the impact of the words that he had spoken as he didn't just make a friend today, but he had gained a sister in arms--- given how far she pulled back to acting like a normal person now, he might have gotten a bridesmaid for his wedding with Nate. Probably even a farm out of the deal--- maybe even a chieftain-ship here in the Ice Nation because of how he had pulled her back from her bloodlust to acting like a sane leader. It showed as Ontari was in: " _I like you now... will you kill beside me? Because I like the way you think_ " mode as she pulled back into the shadows next to him.

"Let the Invasion begin." Ontari grinned. Bryan would later learn as the plan came together the culmination of all those nights Ontari plotted revenge as she had cried herself to sleep under Nia's thumb. Ontari would finally have some closure on this day. Ontari wasn’t just some faceless Grounder… She was like Hundred--- and with the Arkers she had spent time around, she was someone who just wanted to live her life in peace given half the chance. Today was the day that she would slay her ghosts that had haunted her for such a long time.

 

* * *

 

 

Echo had heard her guards speaking and shook in fear. They were going to bury her alive in this chest under Wanheda's orders. Full panic set in when she heard the digging. If it wasn't for the gag in her mouth Echo would be screaming. As Echo felt the chest being picked up off the ground she screamed as loud as she could through her gag. As her would be coffin was jostled about, Echo pictured the faces of her family, especially that of Kore, her little sister.

Nia had offered Echo knowledge about where to find her sibling after those slavers hit her village---

The only reason that Echo had traveled so far into Trikru territory was due to the fact that she had heard rumors that those slavers were going after some set of villages on those lands.

Getting captured by the Mountain Men was not part of her plan.

Neither was betraying Bellamy.

A Brave warrior such has herself. Oath bound to family, to watch over his younger sister Octavia under the last words of his late Mother.

Her family would have been proud that she would have such an ally.

Bellamy swore while they were trapped in those cages that if he ever got a chance he would slay every last one of those Blood drinking monsters if he ever got out. Maybe he did take a number of kills to his name in achieving that goal.

Betraying him by leaving during the battle. Echo still kicked herself over that. Bellamy was willing to place his life before hers. Even bleed for her even if she wasn't one of his own people--- little less than from the same clan.

Then to return to those lands to repay him for helping her had been twisted by Nia for her own goals. Echo was honor bound to repay the man who had saved her life--- But Nia her queen wanted her war. The only joy Echo would have if she died was knowing that Nia's spirit would be ripped asunder for all eternity by those she had attacked right after her body was burned.

But for Bellamy... all chance of finding a love... a warrior to stand by his side in battle and warm his bed at night... That had been lost because of a decision she had made.

He had found a woman to be close to... to share a bed with. Echo had felt hurt. Maybe that was why she didn't speak of what was to come.

She couldn't tell. Nia would have killed her. Knowledge loss. Sister lost. Family lost.

Nia wanted her war...

Now Nia was Dead...

Echo was on the run because of those actions. Until she was caught. Stripped naked and tossed into what would be soon her tomb.

Now she was going to be buried alive like those she had been part of in sending to their deaths.

If Bellamy had gotten his hands on that Mountain man Emerson--- Echo pictured all of the things Bellamy would have done to that man. The Glorious violence.

Echo would have participated in settling that score too by Bellamy of Skaikru's side. She would have decided to become one of the Nokru. Fuck Nia and those who followed her. The Ravens would have their fill soon with their flesh between their beaks.

Now Echo was going to be buried alive. Food for the worms, and all of the burrowing beasts that made the ground their home.

Echo didn't pray for herself, it was beneath her. Until now.

Now she needed to set things right in this world or the next.

Kicking against the side of her future wooden tomb she started to pray and maybe her god would take pity upon her and give her the strength to escape. .

_Bori--- I know that your glowing sprite ass doesn't care about my ass--- but all I ask that I be given the chance to put things right, that I might be able to see my sister Kore safe again--- I know where I am going I may never see her again given my actions. Just give me the strength to escape this prison. To put things right--- To see my sister find a lover and be joined in marriage._

_Give me strength to---_

Echo felt the chest she was in get knocked over and she went sprawling out.

_Free---_

Echo tried to stand, but several individuals were upon her.

Echo struggled to stand but the weight was too much as a strange smelling cloth was pulled over her face and blackness came. The feeling of large fingers across her face were so large that she swore they belonged to a giant as Echo's breath left her body.

"Don't fight it---" A woman's voice spoke to her as death claimed her to drag to the next world for her punishment.

_Nooo---._

\---------------------

 

Echo awoke to sounds of hammering taking place. The Gag in her mouth prevented her from screaming.

_No... They were nailing her into her tomb. They were going to bury her alive like the people who had moved into the caves of the Mountain Men._

Then the sound of a boring drill shot her awake as it dug into something hard.

No... she was already dead... sentenced to the underworld for her punishment.

Gonasleng could be heard being spoken around her.

"Drill here... no... here looks to be a good spot." A voice called out.

_Mountain men... No... They were going to bleed her to death and harvest her._ Echo turned around as she felt her hands were bound against metal bars.

Echo turned to see that her prison was being nailed shut... without her in it. The drill was being used to put holes in the roof of the box.

A semi-naked dark-skinned woman was dressing into some Skaikru warrior uniform and pulling her messy brown hair back into a knot. The distinct Trikru tattoos on both of her biceps stated that she had many kills to her name. Probably kills of the Mountain Men and the Reapers she had slain.

Among the group was Wanheda and several other individuals. The smell of ale could be waffling off of the woman and as well as Echo herself from the clear coating the rags she was now wearing. Someone had drenched her in the ale... Crap they were going to burn her alive...

"Murphy, Nate... I need to make sure that the speaker and battery pack we are putting into the box has that rumbler set up to run on the sensors I put on Echo...” Another woman... Raven... the blacksmith or toolmaker was putting something in.

"Understood." One of the men spoke. "Emori... I need you to help me with the leads here." Raven spoke.

"Looks like Echo is awake." Echo turned to the woman that had been dressing. Giving how she looked and sounded... she might have been related to Raven... Maybe a sibling... like Bellamy and his warrior sister Octavia...

"Thanks Luna..." Clarke spoke as she started to come over to look at Echo. Luna of Skaikru proceeded to finish dressing into her Warrior clothing before moving to moving over to help the others work on the chest. The way that the woman was pulling back her hair spoke that she was ensuring that it was close to her scalp. Given the large fluffy mass of her hair she must have been one to of the more Tribal ones of Bellamy's people.

"Clarke... you helped save members of my family. Even though we were not of your kru... all of the things I did to go against you. To fight you..."

"Bekka was your family, you wanted a better life for your child. I was a fool to not understand the life you were trying to build for yourself and those orphans. After all of the conflict you have been through and the losses. It wasn’t my place to press the mantle of the Flame upon you.” Wanheda was speaking to the warrior out of compassion. “Skaikru is the thirteenth Kru, you are Thirteenth Station... So was she... We are kin... You fight for what you believe is right. I will not fault you for that. That was something Lexa taught me. But thank you for helping me ensure that some justice is held." The woman nodded.

"I am trying my best not to break my oath of peace."

"As I with my oath of Healing." Clarke's words held weight as an understanding was reached between the two women.

_Thirteenth Station???_

_Bekka???_

Echo’s mind was racing to place the information together.

_Pramheda Bekka???_

_Was this woman from the same sacred place that Bekka had come from?_

_Echo was going to be judged by a member of Bekka's people, and worse... she was friends with Clarke the Slayer of Mountkru._

Clarke turned her attention towards Echo...

"Well... looks like you are a little worse for wear but you will live." Clarke moved her hand to pull up the hood of the robe Echo was now wearing. Taking up the bottle from the floor the Commander of Death proceeded to throw some more of that noxious potion upon Echo's flesh and clothes before picking up a small bottle with yellow fluid in it and splashing it along Echo's leg. The scent was fairly discernible as being that of urine.

"Clarke, you need to put more urine along her legs... Remember we have to make her look like and smell like a drunk that has pissed herself." The one called Murphy called out from his post by the empty Prisoner Chest. Clarke nodded at this as she proceeded to grab Echo's leg and pull it away. Echo fought back until Murphy stopped drilling holes into her coffin and got up and walked over to her.

"Listen... we are trying to save your life you Ice Nation bitch." The man knelt down by her. He looked like a fairly scruffy character. But the tone of his voice spoke of cunning and use any means to survive. "I was in that spot you are finding yourself in currently." This is when he leaned in. "So... unless you want to be strapped to a log, drenched in cooking oil and set ablaze by the folks whose kin you helped kill or worse... chopped up before being burned. If I were you... I would start cooperating with the folks trying to save your sorry little ass."

_Why were they trying to save her?_

Then she got her answer.

"Hope that Bellamy can convince Ontari to use a Shock Lash on Echo here instead of a gun being used like everyone wants her to."

_Bellamy???_

_What was a Shock Lash?_

Echo shuffled in fear...

"Echo of Azgeda." The Female warrior spoke. "Ontari of your people due to events Prior to Heda Lexa's death, Lexa struck a deal to make her a member of Wanheda's sect of warriors, and Wanheda’s Second.” The tone of the woman spoke that though civil, had chosen to be peaceful, not out of weakness, but to because she could be that violent and dangerous. Death made flesh. “Bellamy is one of these warriors and because of this has decided to teach Ontari along with Clarke here their warrior code as well as give her the education she needs to become Heda." The woman moved to pick up a jacket of the Skaikru. "You are in the presence of the Warriors of the Hundred and they are doing their best to fulfill their code of Right of the Kill… Which Ontari has claimed the right to." Echo stayed still.

_Shit... They were going to execute her… And Ontari was going to be the executioner._

Echo growled. She wasn't going to die due to Skaikru corruption of her Commander... Then the one named Luna grabbed her by the scruff of her neck.

"Echo... this means that you are bound by the right to defend yourself. Ontari's right to claim your life is her's and her's alone. Which means you are under her protection until she decides on your punishment. Even Wanheda cannot interfere with such a claim, she is only to ensure that you are protected till then." Then with a bare foot Luna leaned her weight into the meaty part of the inside of Echo's knelt leg. "You are thinking we are going to kill you... No... We are trying to save your life. Nia was a monster, you are as much as a victim as Ontari was. We just want the truth. For good or ill, it will be heard when the judgement of your crimes takes place."

_Wait... they were not going to kill her... They were trying to protect her._

Echo now reevaluated the situation.

Her clothes... She looked like a drunkard... Smelled like a Drunkard.

There were bits of hair attached to the hood of the clothing she was in.

Moppy... Reddish Brown hair...

Echo looked up to Luna...

Luna smelled of the same foul ale...and her hair was...

Echo made the connection in this moment.

This was her hair that was glued to this hood around her face!!!

Echo felt the gag in her mouth...

It was the same one she was chewing on for the last few days...

Why was it still there?

Then Echo felt something stuck into her ear.

"Turn on the Mic..." Raven spoke, this was when Murphy touched something behind her ear which could have been the foresaid _On_.

"Mic is on... Okay Echo I need you to muffle."

_Muffle???_

Echo just growled... A loud growl could be heard coming from the box.

"Okay... Speaker works." Raven spoke.

Wait... if that was her growl... They were going to put her voice into the box but not her...

"Firing up the rumbler." Raven spoke as the hum could be heard. "Okay Emori... I need you to shake the bracelet I gave you."

"Okay... Shaking the bracelet," the tattooed woman shook the bracelet in her hand and the wom wow sound started to come from the box. After a moment the box started to jump.

"Okay stop..." Raven spoke as she reached over and started twist into the box to adjust something. "Try it again." Emori repeated the process after Raven got out. "We're good... Load up the body." Raven said as Echo then realized that several weighted bags were being placed in.

With a few pounding of nails placed into the trunk and Emori shaking the bracelet, the now “alive” box acted like she was inside of it.

"Nate... I need you to get the guards." Clarke spoke to the male warrior who nodded and with a limp started to move away. "Murphy, could you and Emori keep an eye on our Mountain Nymph here."

"Sure... Not the only Ice Nation girl that I have kept an eye on that wanted to kill me and Emori." Murphy spoke.

Echo felt some understanding in why they were doing this. But Bellamy and Ontari working together was beyond her.

Maybe the rumors were true about something happening to Ontari because of some witch named Alie attacking Polis with some ancient weapon of persuasion and thrall. It might be the reason that Skaikru was doing their best to help the new Commander. Wanheda seemed to have respect for the new commander despite being her enemy.

As Emori placed the bracelet on Echo's arm and realized that as the guards entered something more was going on. That line of inquiry had to wait until her ‘ _coffin’_ was buried to find out.

Echo had been given a reprieve by the gods, she didn’t know which ones, but she had been given a fighting chance for survival. The one that she had prayed for.

 

* * *

 

 

Luna sat in the Skaikru equivalent of a dungeon/brig. It wasn't much but it served its purpose. Only a few times had she been forced to place someone into a prison like the one here back on her old oil rig home.

Clarke and her friends being part of that list.

Luna seemed to be a bit more introspective now in light of recent events.

She had been played by Alie... Lost her husband through a calculated move to ensure that she would never side with Clarke... But in the end... The damage was done.

Luna's kru had been decimated by the plague Alie had unleashed upon the world.

But she still had a Kru...

She could rebuild...

Now looking at Echo of Azgeda who was tied up inside of the cell, she watched the woman cry occasionally as the weight of her actions were being weighted out in her mind.

This woman was the topic of so much trouble, yet had not been the source of it. Just the messenger of it.

Luna remembered those days...

Being a messenger of death.

Pain, hurting, sadness. Wanting to feel something in her life other than the loss of losing her own brother by her own hand. Those were the days where she had almost become a savage animal. Luna had stripped every last piece of her clothing off that she had worn the day of her Conclave as she had started to lose her humanity...

Hunting rabbits in the nude and eating their uncooked flesh like some wild beast.

Catching fish with her bare hands.

Then one day by the shore... a Storm had come, crashed over the rocks she was on and pulled her out to sea.

Luna didn't remember how long she had been in the water or what was happening to her. But the storm did something to her as it beat into her naked exposed flesh. Stinging her into a state of rawness that being skinned alive would have been considered a state of orgasmic bliss.

Between wanting to die, something in her wanted to live.

That was when a small overturned boat that had seen better days floated her way. It had provided shelter from the burning painful sting of the relentless rain that had beat her raw.

Her need to survive took over and Luna started to want to live again.

When the storm passed Luna had gotten out from underneath the overturned boat and tried to flip it over. Then some weird gray fish creature swam underneath her and proceeded to knock the old vessel over.

The creature sensed that she was different as it moved to nuzzle her stomach.

This creature was wild, yet civil.

It chirped at her. It sensed that she was hurting and let her touch it.

Her wrinkled hands touched the taught flesh of the animal.

Every last pain she had was released as the creature slowly communicated to her that it was willing to listen.

The sea creature had touched her soul as it allowed her to take hold of it.

Being pulled under the water Luna hadn't realized how fast the creature could move.

It pulled her into its world and let her be as her body relaxed and found its long-needed peace.

Here... Luna wasn't a Nightblood, a warrior, a young girl, a murderer. She was a guest.

Luna gave herself to the power of the sea and found the freedom she had so longed for.

More creatures like the one she was with found her and they started to swim with them.

Luna was let up to the surface back to the boat that she had been clinging to.

Luna didn't understand until one of these benevolent sea creatures swam up with an ore for her to use.

Another brought up some fish.

Then Luna realized why they had sought her out.

They wanted her to follow them.

The boat, the food, the ore... They brought what was she needed.

Wherever they wanted her to go... she wasn't going to argue... sitting in the boat she started to row.

The day was getting longer and hotter, but she didn't care.

Her reddened burnt flesh seemed to be part of her right of passage with these creatures of the sea.

Along the way one of the grey fish had found some large piece of plastic tarp and with a little effort, Luna was able to transform it into a crude poncho to cover her naked form by tearing a hole in it. Somewhere Luna still had that garment, but at the time she thanked the sea gods for the modest protection.

After some time the grey fishes had guided her to a strange structure emerging out of the water. It was a grand tower that she would later learn was an oil rig. A place that was once used to pump out a black liquid called oil from the bottom of the sea to fuel the mighty machines of old.

Whatever these creatures wanted... they wanted her to go there with them.

As the day slowly drifted into dusk the size of this structure before her showed how immense it was.

Each of the four legs diving into the sea so deep that she swore that they went on forever into that darkness.

The grey fish had her guide her boat underneath the large structure and after a moment Luna saw what they were guiding her to: A small launch dock at the bottom of the structure. The structure seemed to be locked to one of the legs and was floating. Nearby there were tie-offs for boats to lash themselves to.

Paddling closer the grey fish helped nudge her small vessel to the dock and Luna was able to quickly grab an aging piece of rope and tied it to the moorings. Seeing a ladder that went up one of the legs, she decided to take the incentive and start to climb.

Once she reached the upper sections the rough metal teeth of the floor started to bite into feet. Tearing into her poncho she rigged up some crude footwear to keep the underside of her feet from tearing before proceeding. Walking around the large metal structure, the place looked have been converted into some sort of living space. There had been tools left around, water vessels overflowing with water and a large built garden that had been so overgrown that it would take time to hack back to get some decent fruit that wasn't rotting on the vine.

Then she found the body of an old man in a bed. Nearby sat a naked woman with long curly red hair who was comforting herself by caressing the hand of the individual who had been close to her.

The woman turned to look at Luna, no hate nor fear in her eyes.

"The Dolphins brought you." The woman raised up and walked away from the man who after a moment of observation wasn't breathing. "What is your name child?" Luna braced herself for a fight she wasn't to tell this person her name, but the woman placed a gentle hand on Luna's clenched fist and a moment later Luna was asleep as the fight was removed from her in that moment.

\---

Luna awoke later in a clean bed. Body cleaned of salt and other filth, sunburns tended to, and a warm bowl of stew next to her. Luna looked down to see that though she was naked a set of clothes had been left out for her.

The woman now sat clothed in only a simple ragged dress that came barely past the woman's knees.

"You will heal little one..." Luna patted around for a weapon and went for the spoon inside of the bowl of stew. "You have been out for two days... eat." Luna moved to place the bowl before the woman holding up the spoon like a shank to stab the woman if this was a trap.

"You eat--- I don't---" the woman moved and slurped up a good mouthful of the stew and swallowed.

"It is good stew--- and not poisoned." Luna took the bowl back.

"In a world full of violence---" Luna watched as the woman looked at her. "You are weak."

"Not weak--- Just different." The woman spoke. “Don’t ever think that the reason I’m peaceful is because I don’t know how to be violent. I am peaceful because I see before me a girl who is cold, starving, who is trying to find warmth and food. You have both before you. Don’t ever mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance or my kindness for weakness.” The woman looked at her. “I know when to be aggressive and when to be patient, little one.” Luna started to realize that she was in the presence of someone who could take her apart without thinking a second thought.

"You have a name?"

"Many names--- as of now I am Nameless."

"How come you don't have name. Because the one you named you the old man is dead?"

"No... I have always been called Nameless... kept death from finding me." Luna growled at the woman.

"Well Nameless... I am Death... I am fear... I am the horror that comes in the middle of the night. I am the one who mothers tell their children of... I am---"

“Everyone thinks that they are the beast until they truly understand what a beast actually is. All I see is a scared young woman in pain; one who has seen too much suffering in her short existence. So... who was the last person you killed?" Luna pulled back. "Ah... Death... I have struck a nerve in the one named for the reaper of the next world... Was the person a lover... family?" Luna swallowed. "Sibling..." Luna tried to glare. "Brother..." Luna pulled the sheets around her closer to pull in the safety of the warmth they provided. Luna had never been that scared in her life. To have her defenses torn through so quickly. But the hardest truths in life are the ones that cut deep into one’s past. If a blade had been presented to woman before her. Luna would have wished for a quick thrust of the blade into her heart or to the base of her skull.

Had Luna been that much pain?

How had she missed that familiar pain in one like Octavia?

Luna thought back to her recent events with Raven... Clarke… Octavia. Now with Echo. She had been in that same position as they had been. But Nameless had pulled it out of without even touching her. Maybe by remembering how Nameless had done it, she could do the same for Echo and Octavia.

She had to remember that suffering she had endured and not ever to forget it again.

Now she had to look at her past with all of its jagged thorns and sharp edges to help guide her to make peace with her past. Additionally, she needed to find those lessons to teach to those who had taken up the title of death like Octavia and Echo had.

Luna had come far since that day cowering naked under that blanket as her title of death was taken from her with the start of three simple words:

"My brother Gaius ...” Luna was able to force out as Luna remembered that point back on the old Oil Rig. "I killed him at my conclave... I didn't want to kill him. There needed to be a new Commander." Luna declared. Tears were flowing down her face in waves. "I didn't want to kill my friend Lexa... She has the skills to be a better Commander than I..." Luna felt her insides feel like she was being disemboweled. “I didn’t want to die! She needed to live!”

"You fled to give your friend the chance to become the leader of your people." Nameless spoke as Luna nodded. The woman moved and came near her. With a gentle touch of her hands she embraced Luna and let the young woman flow into the curves of her body. "Repeat to me: I give myself... to the miracle... of the sea." Luna felt the words and the compassion behind them. As Luna repeated them a peace flowed over her like nothing she had ever experienced. Luna cried for those she had lost. She cried for the life she wanted. She cried for the wrongs she had done. She cried for the hope she wanted.

With each tear in Nameless's gentle embrace Luna let go of a lifetime of pain in those arms and found peace.

In the days that came, Luna found herself.

Nameless returned her late husband to the waters from which he had come with Luna's help.

The warrior that had so cultivated death had wanted to find a life and the peace that this place so offered.

The small tasks that she had before her was a small victory in this path she had found herself on.

As time passed survivors of a fishing village would come to the rig seeking sanctuary.

It was offered.

Luna learned to live and love again under Nameless’s tutelage.

Then one day Nameless had left stating that her time in that place was only transitory as would be Luna's. That was years ago, but Luna longed to be near her mentor again.

In the years that passed Luna would meet Boo and his newborn daughter Adria. She would fall in love with both. With Boo becoming her lover and Adria her daughter. Luna who had once loved death had found love among the living. Something she cherished more than any treasure that would ever come her way.

Luna remembered the summers when Adria was younger when the summer rains would come and they would strip naked and dance on the deck during the light summer rains singing with glee. Both of them acting like wild children embracing their freedom and sanctuary among the sea.

"Rain, rain, wash away the sorrow and pain. Bring forth Happiness and play."

A simple song that a child would make up and bathing the salt free of their flesh were the things that Luna held precious to her heart.

Those were the days of innocence in a world filled of war and pain.

A place where Luna sought comfort in the nights where the nightmares of her past returned.

A place where she built a fortress against the hurt in her heart.

The place where she felt comfort spooning next to Boo in the darkness of the night.

But also, a place where Nameless had helped her find peace.

Luna had loved Nameless as the woman who had saved her soul, body and her heart.

Luna looked at the woman before her.

Echo...

Echo was in the same place she had been. Like Octavia, this woman needed to know she wasn't alone.

"Echo..." Luna spoke as she stood up and walked over the woman tied up in the cell before her. "You are in pain... I will help you through it." With the gentleness of her mentor... Luna decided that maybe this was the place she was meant to be at. Luna touched the woman's' hand and began to pull the pain out of the woman as she worked to loosen the gag around the woman's mouth. A bit of compassion was needed and... Like those with fire in their heart... Well... Luna braced herself for the spit coming her way.

As it came free, Echo coughed and cried.

"Let us begin." Luna announced.

 

* * *

 

 

Ontari looked at the scale model of Farm Station that Bellamy had constructed out of found items he had found around the basecamp. Between the four campfires logs a few stones and a child's toy horse that kept being moved around by the child it had been borrowed from. The map provided some insight into what had taken place in the days since the Skaikru/Floukru repair team had come in and later left.

From a distance the members of Skaikru looked to have returned to their old flying village ship to repair it and possibly fly it off from where it had crashed on Azgeda lands.

Seeing that Ice Nation soldiers had come and taken them away in what looked to be an armed escorted round up, had provided the opportunity for the place to be invaded as the small group of warriors left behind were overwhelmed by this attacking force. Harper had commented that during the time while Arkada had been abandoned just after Alie had moved through the place that not all of the defenses had been set up.

It would take time for these individuals to find out where all of the secure points were, but the least obvious ones would provide an opportunity to at least get some reconnaissance as was the case with Emerson.

Ontari winced at that name.

The Mountkru that Nia had worked with to start her war.

A war that neither of them won.

This is when Jasper looked out at the scene.

"Guys... The folks in there think that most of us that were living there had been captured... What if... well... what if we act like a hunting party or some salvage crew that was returning. I mean... Well we have some of the salvage that Farm Station brought back."

"Walk through the front door." Ontari was looking at the situation.

"It is a plausible story." Bellamy was looking at it from that perspective.

"Yeah... I mean... if anyone asks why we are poking around, maybe it is to find out where our people were taken." Jasper stated.

"Sounds like a plan." Harper declared. "But what if they are like Emerson... I mean Ontari has some history with these folks." Ontari nodded.

"I do..." Ontari winced at the horrors she had endured under Nia. "These are slavers... They took me from my village under Nia's orders." Ontari had to swallow to push through the pain. Then biting her lip and clearing her throat she pushed through to give the information that the other warriors she was with needed. "They migrate through various villages they have raided and emptied of those there." Ontari looked at the model. "They usually raid the stores of supplies before moving on to the last raiding point to pick up any stragglers left behind."

"So, the only reason they are here is to look for supplies and possibly use it as a way point to rest for a few days before they head on to some other location." Monty looked at the scene.

"Yeah... But given that they were hitting this place pretty often speaks that this isn't a stopping point." Bryan spoke as his body language dictated that this lone Skaikru settlement wasn't just attacked often. It was being attacked for a reason.

"Bryan... I know that this is hard... But we are on the clock here. What do you remember about the attacks?" Ontari sensed that building a bridge between this young warrior and herself might help not only her people but his as well. Taking a knife from her belt she placed it into the young man's hands and knelt down before him letting the knife touch her neck.

"I am your enemy... I wish you harm, you wish vengeance for those who attacked your friends and family." Clovis was about to sprint over but Ontari raised her hand. "I do this so that you may remember the things that drove you into the violence that stains your immortal spirit." Forcing a struggle with the knife Bryan's mind started to drift back along the river of the past and was brought back to the dark moments of the attacks on this land... his new home.

"I remember it being cold outside... children playing... a attack... the one where Monty's father was killed." Bryan spoke of the events of that violent day. "They rode over the hills yelling, they seemed not to be interested in talking with us. They were angry, they wanted blood."

"Do you know what they were yelling?" Ontari jerked Bryan's hand like she was fighting against the blade.

"It was something in Grounder."

"Can you mouth it out?" Monty stated.

"I think so." Bryan said as he spoke the rough words. Those words helped explain why Farm Station had been attacked so many times when it had crashed. Ontari's blood ran cold with vengeance as she knew who had ordered her theft from her home but never could prove it till now. The ancient adage: The enemy of thy enemy is thy friend rung in Ontari's ears. Many a nightmare would end tonight by her and these warriors’ hands.

 

* * *

 

 

Kore was sitting outside of that cursed place that had been her home for many moons since she had been brought there. For the first time in ages as the blacksmith hammered the chisel into the bolts of her shackles she felt relief. Kore felt her wrists jump a few times as the metal of her shackles parted with each blow of the hammer. It was nothing compared to the weapon that the warriors of the Skaikru had used to burn those who had taken her from her home.

A weapon that was so small that it could fit in her small hands. Produced a heat that rivaled the flames of any forge. Struck with the noise that made the loud thunder clap sound like a twig breaking in the woods even behind a door that would even keep out the Mountain Men.

Her own still ringing ears spoke to that.

Riley had told her of a weapon like this being used when Skaikru had first come to the ground to protect themselves against an ambush on a bridge... till now she thought he was making the story up.

Now...

Now... she wished that she had such a weapon the day the slavers attacked her Azgeda village.

Kore could still see the blade of her older sister Echo slicing through those flesh thieves with all of her might during that raid. Every blow going through the horde before her only slowed her distance between her and her sister. Then a pair of arms had grabbed her and she was pulled away from her family and her home.

Kore prayed to the gods each night before she went to sleep that she would see her sister in this world or the next. Rescue by her sister or by the one called the Skairippa, the feared warrior of the Skaikru, filled her dreams each night. Those brief escapes from reality kept her hopes strong as she did her best to survive the living nightmare she had been trapped in. Neither dream did come true... But her rescue did happen.

As Kore looked over to examine one of the group that had saved her, the one known as Boudica Iceni of Polaris Station. A woman of Strength, Power, dangerous with a blade in her hands, a complete knowledge of how to heal or kill a person at her disposal with foresaid blade, showed that one could do more with the right allies by their side than an army of fools.

It wasn't until after the explosion that Kore found out the truth about Boudica and where she was from.

The truth was the woman was Boudica of Azgeda and she had joined Skaikru to help kill the slavers... Boudica had gone as far to wear their clothing and something that made her face scars look like burns. That very substance was sluffing off of her face now to reveal the warrior scars on her face. Kore didn't know of the specific family, but from the look of some of the markings, she looked to be from the paw lands near the lake people near the south.

The look in those eyes spoke volumes that she too had a grudge with the Slavers. What caught Kore's attention more was the reference that this woman had the title of being Second to Wanheda... The Commander of Death. A person she didn't know of, but given the reference that even the Azgeda warriors were giving... this was a person she would seek out to serve under. Maybe that was the reason that Prince Roan... Now king, had gone out to gather the Skaikru that had come here from their other sky villages to aid him against these flesh thieves.

To have Wanheda... by his side... Kore could see the stories that would be coming forth. A Commander of that quality would even be one that even Commander Lexa would even bow to out of respect.

Some of the stories floating around... Wanheda may have even done that considering Lexa as an equal and an ally to his or her cause.

Maybe it was the reason for their return...

Roan, Lexa and Wanheda as a combined force would keep anyone in line.

Queen Nia may have fallen by their hands and thus creating an alliance that would keep any kru or rogue nation from rebelling against them.

Kore needed to know more.

Kore started to search her memories for details... anything to make sense of this new alliance.

Mostly when Kore had been brought into this empty village, things looked like they had been left in place. Like they had been in the middle of doing some work on their home when they had been taken by Azgeda soldiers. What if Wanheda and Roan needed them for some grand battle or crisis at hand, and when these warriors had come back here they had found that someone was living in their home.

That was probably why the Slavers attempted to kill so many of the Skaikru thinking that enough died off, then no one would come back to this village.

When the remaining Azgeda soldiers didn't reply to messages that Roan had sent that he was letting them return to their village ship, this might have lead Roan and the Skaikru to think that these squatters might either be seeking shelter after a plague had wiped out the people here--- or worse it might be someone that they needed to get out so they could continue working on getting the ship flight worthy again because Roan ordered them off of his lands.

The slavers could have faked the first one but not the latter.

When the Skaikru warriors had come in, they for the most part acted like they were there to salvage equipment to repair their settlement of Arkadia. Given the wooden sigil they had been given by King Roan... not Queen Nia spoke to the change in leaders of her homeland. Maybe that was why the Slavers were so jittery. They had the symbols of the alliance with the old Azgeda ruler and they didn't know what the new ruler was going to do given he had a number of his own captured Skaikru. Realizing this that maybe these Skaikru hadn't been captured, but something else may have put the slavers on edge? Maybe Roan wanted something from the Skaikru and maybe rounding them up was his way of ensuring it was done and their release to continue working may have been their payment of services done.

Looking around at the group surrounding them now... Kore realized that not all of these people were warriors.

Healers, farmers, and some weird crops from lands she didn't know of. But maybe that was the reason why they wanted to get back in. This was their home.

Maybe if she listened more she could have found out what was going on with her nation as well as the other peoples of the far-off lands her people had dealings with.

Kore started to think back to the events earlier in the day in search for the details of what was going on with the Skaikru and her own Clan.

Dropping the sign Riley had written for her to drop by these warriors with the words: "Moving us tomorrow. Help!" had set the events in motion. Between that message and Riley being seen by these warriors had sped up the events in question. Maybe the reason they were there was urgent?

Something important was needed from the Skaikru and it may have had to do with their flying vessel. If it was a flying ship, then getting it fixed so that it could fly again, meant that Roan wanted a Sky ship of his own... or something that they could fly a group of people somewhere under the flag of Azgeda.

Kore leaned back as she looked around more and started to listen to bits of conversation.

There were Free Floukru here...

Floukru were sailors...

Did Roan make a deal with these sailors to help teach them how to sail these Sky Ships.

That part of them needing the ship was true. So were they trying to fix the ship to fly off or like the stories of old, like the ones about a people called the Vi'kings, who used to sail off to far off shores for either trade or war. These Vi'kings used to pull their ships aground, flip them upside down and live in as shelters until they were able to build new ships to sail home.

Well the village ship was run aground... Maybe they were trying to flip it so that they could live in it until the task was done. It fit with all of the stuff that was lying around. What if they had a new Sky ship somewhere else? Maybe Roan asked them to teach his warriors and ship builders how to make them. That explained why they were here. Then if Roan had learned what he had from them, then... Letting them go might have been part of his deal. Which had led to the Skaikru coming here and finding their Sky ship in the condition it had been in when Kore and the others had been imprisoned in there.

Kore moved back to her memories of her Rescue. Boudica seemed to have gained some powers while being with the Skaikru. Was this gift, or power, or knowledge Roan was willing to gain for his people part of this?

Boudica seemed to almost have a sense that allowed her to see through the walls of the sky ship. It had been used well in the attack, what if Boudica was learning to use this gift as being one Roan's new Sky Ship Generals?

Boudica's gift had come in handy when they had made their move and taken the Slavers by surprise.

As the members of the Skaikru got into their position to attack, they had looked at the room they were in not as a disadvantage, but as an advantage. For the most part their mission had been one of assault, not rescue. That change of plans seemed to have dictated the options they had in their assault. Because of learning of the situation of those imprisoned, these warriors seemed to have decided that they needed to protect these people from harm. Thus, their prison had become the place in which the battle would be fought.

The way Riley was acting he understood what they were planning.

Riley had told her about his small group being surrounded by warriors and them having to use the flame oil from their scout craft to set them afire. The only place that was safe for them was inside of their vessel. So... if these warriors were thinking the same thing, then all the needed was to close the door and set a fire outside and burn the Slavers.

Thus, it had to do with that machine that was inside of the vault room they were in.

They all seemed to have gathered around a large piece of equipment that was in the large fortress room of this once flying village as a small cup of something that really burnt her eyes was poured from it.

Whatever it was... it looked like water, but they were treating like it was like it was boiling cooking oil right from the frying pan. The blonde woman with them with the milkmaid braids in her hair did her best not to look at her friend. Riley was the same way, but in unspoken terms, they both knew what was going to be happening next. A distraction was needed as several took out the small device that they had created while another, Jasper, had gone into the upper portion of the great ship according to Boudica's references to the others while using her magical senses. Something was said about turning off the ventilation fans in the section he was in and turning off the fire suppression alarm. Whatever that was. Then Boudica waved her fingers around across some unseen controls by the machine she was working on and it was done. Then the small group that was outside quickly rushed in and slammed the great vault door behind them with all of their might.

A moment later the explosion took place.

After the smoke cleared one of the remaining Slavers that had been trapped in the room with them was picked up off of the floor and was about to be killed by the ones named Bellamy and Boudica, but they were stopped by Bryan's words: "Not your right of the kill... he is Monty's... this is the man who murdered your father."

The one named Monty who had short hair and brown eyes picked up a work tool from the floor and walked over and smashed the bolt holding the slaves in place. With their freedom... Well the lead slaver was slain by those he had enslaved.

Now as she watched as the warrior Boudica helped treat Riley, she thought about her sister... Echo. Once word spread that she had been rescued... Kore could picture her sister riding here in full war paint to pick her up in her arms.

Kore took off her boots and rubbed her feet on the grass in front of her and soaked in the soft feeling of it. It felt good to feel free. Right now, all she wanted was to have these damn shackles removed from her wrists, a warm blanket around her and a full bowl of soup in her tummy.

She looked at the others that had been with her as they were adjusting to seeing a mixed force of warriors around them tending to what they needed.

The Azgeda warrior Boudica that had been with Skaikru during their attack to reclaim their village was doing her best to check over the wounded and injured from the battle. A few had been knocked around from the explosion, while others had old injuries that needed to be cared for. Boudica gave off this aura of being much more powerful of a warrior then she let on to be. But this tending to the wounded spoke that it was something she like doing. The warrior had healers training and the only other person she knew of that had such training was Riley's friend, the Skaikru warrior Clarke: The Golden Wolf... The Skai Princess.

Maybe it was that there was a time for the sword and a time for a blade and herbs to be used. For one’s like Boudica and Clarke, one moment they would be fighting death then the next bringing it forth… Kore was impressed as both skills were needed in battle, both during and after. To take a life was one thing, to save a life was another.

Riley had told her stories about Clarke's skill in treating those who had been hurt during the many battles with the locals around the Mountain. Kore liked hearing the stories where Octavia was mentioned, but the ones where Clarke showed that she was a fierce warrior as well... well Kore hoped that one day she would meet her.

Watching the people move about and check out the old flying ship to see what could to be repaired and what was a complete loss. Kore started to notice that other than the free slaves Boudica looking after, she was always looking back to the large doorway of the ship whenever she had a chance.

Boudica looked concerned as she waited for someone to return.

The Skaikru warrior Jasper who had gone in to get something that he had left stashed in there before this Sky ship had come crashing to the ground.

Something was going on and the concern on the Azgeda warrior's face spoke it.

Their rescue wasn't part of their plan... But it had to do with some healing herb they were there to get. Given the way that people were talking, Jasper had once been a farmer who had lived on this Sky Ship and this was one of the crops he had grown while up there.

Names like Luna and Adria kept coming up and the word sickness started to chew at her. Had Boudica's family gotten sick and these warriors coming here to this place was their way of retrieving some medicine for their friends to help them? Kore wanted to know.

As the bolt on one of her Shackles gave way the one known as Bellamy knelt down next to her and he just grinned. This warrior had been near her since the moment where he grabbed her and shielded her with his body during the explosion. He looked like a person that her sister Echo might like to hold hands with. "I have a sister who looks a little like you. Her name is Octavia." Those words changed everything... No wonder he was sticking close to her. She looked like a member of his family.

Octavia...

Kore had heard the name.

Octavia of Skaikru... The Skairippa... Death from Above... Slayer of Slavers... That name was cursed many times throughout her time as a prisoner of the Slavers as those flesh thieves hated her with a vengeance as she kept picking them off whenever they had left these lands. Though the version she liked about Skairippa were the ones Riley had told through his stories about his Skaikru friends.

"You are her brother?" Kore spoke cautiously. Images of speaking without permission still brought back images of being struck by her captors.

"I am." The man shifted some to become more comfortable before her spot on the ground.

"I am Kore... kon Azgeda." That last bit seemed the hardest to say.

"Kore... I am Bellamy." the young warrior offered up his hand to her. It took a moment for her to reach out to take it and touch it. There was a tenderness about him that made her feel comfortable around him. A warrior with kindness in his heart. Kore grinned, maybe he would be a good husband for her sister Echo... Both warriors from feared peoples, yet having a strong sense of family to them.

"Bellamy... is.... is Octavia kon Skaikru... is she older than you?" Kore held back on the Skairippa information. If he was Skairippa's sibling, she didn't want to earn the wrath of such a warrior if she accidentally let it known how much she knew about the feared warrior.

"Younger... a bit older than you." Kore didn't know that the warrior she had dreams about was so close to her own age. Most of her skill with the sword were far lacking. A spear in her hands, she was better with... well considering that her biggest target had been the pile of dirt her father had her stab to get her used to the action before letting her stab at a bit of rotted tree stump. But the sword had been her dream. Echo was planning on teaching her with a training sword just after the new moon, but Kore had been stolen from her home before that day had come.

"Oh..." Kore winced at the loud sound of one of the bolts on her restraints finally giving way. The blacksmith moved to pry the restraint further apart to give Kore the room she needed to wiggle out of the restraint. Kore took a deep breath as she slowly wiggled her hand out of the cuff of the shackle, the metal scraping across the meat of her palm and her knuckles before she was able to get free. After a few rubs with her other hand Kore bit her lip wincing at the itch she had on her wrist. With a nod to the Blacksmith she placed her other shackle up to be removed. "Can you tell me about her--- Octavia the Skairippa--- Death from Above?" With one of the shackles gone Kore felt more assertive. Maybe it was the reason that she let out what she knew about Octavia's name.

"Octavia the Skairippa?" Bellamy seemed to be interested in telling her the story given that little bit he was now interested in. "Alright... What do you know about her? I know what the words Skai and Rippa means. I think she has earned those through everything she has been through. Tell me some of the stories you have heard?" Bellamy spoke to Kore trying to get a sense of what she already knew about his sister. Some of it exaggerated, while other parts of it merely things elders told their young ones to keep their attention. But the real meaty parts that were true... Bori... Oh, those were the things she wanted to hear about.

"Well... she was born in a floating castle in the sky... She was one of the bad children that got caught doing some bad things and causing trouble for her parents. They along with the one called Clarke... the Skai Princess were sent down to the ground as their punishment. They faced monsters and warriors. They became feared and respected. They wielded fire like it was water. Strike one down and ten would come to avenge their fallen." Bellamy grinned at this. Looking over at Riley who returned a shrug to Bellamy. There was this unspoken communication between the two. Kore sensed that Riley had exaggerated some of the stuff about her hero Octavia.

"Well... you are right about some of that, but in truth... Octavia was a good child, but she got in trouble when she didn't have the proper documents to prove she was supposed to be at a celebration. Mostly I was the one who was with her when we got caught. I wanted to take my sister out to her first dance." Bellamy seemed a bit sad at that. "I snuck her out of me and my mom's quarters and headed to the dance. Mostly at this celebration we called Unity Day... there were a group of boys and girls who danced from the various stations and they wall wore masks to conceal their identities, Octavia disguised herself as one of them. Octavia was happy until the solar storm came and they needed to a head check to see who was there as everyone was heading into the shelter. During this time, I was working towards becoming an Ark Guard... the Warriors on the Ark. I attempted to act as a distraction for Octavia to get back to our home that was in a shielded section of the station. But Octavia had gotten lost on her way back there." This is when Bellamy seemed worried. But it wasn't about the story, more like an older sibling worrying about their younger sibling. "She got caught before I could do anything." Something bad might have happened to Octavia...

"Did she get hurt?"

"She was locked up..." There was something more to this---

"Did she hurt anyone? Do anything bad?"

"No---"

"What did she do?" Bellamy seemed that he wanted to say something more. Then one of the Skaikru spoke up along with Boudica.

"Back on the..." The Skaikru let Boudica speak.

"Back when Skaikru had all of their sky ships connected together they had grown in such numbers that they had issued a policy where a couple could only have one child. Octavia was a second born and was an illegal birth. With no documentation of her birth her mother was sentenced to death after they found out." Kore jumped some at this statement. The blacksmith relaxed nearby as he started to sharpen the edge of the pike so that he could proceed to remove the other shackle on her wrist. After so many being hammered off, Kore wasn’t surprised that it hadn’t been sooner. But the break allowed her to stay close to this figure but also the Blacksmith was also interested in this part of Skaikru’s history in the sky. At this point the story took on a tone of guilt. Her hero was in a place where they had everything taken from them, family, honor and a since of compassion. These were the dark times for the heroes.

Now the challenge to reunite was coming about.

"Octavia lost her mother that day--- I lost my position among the Guard--- I couldn't even visit my sister for the year she was locked up." It took ages for him to respond again. "I got stuck being a janitor--- one who mops the floors and cleans the walls of the Ark." Bellamy decided to let the truth be known. "One of the individuals known as Diana Sydney made me a deal that if I shot Jaha who was our leader at the time, I could stow away with my sister when her decent ship came to Earth." This caught everyone's attention who was from Skaikru. "I had shot Jaha--- but I didn't kill him." Bellamy sensed that he was coming clean to his people. "Yeah, I screwed up, but Octavia was the only family I had left. I was able to sneak onto the drop ship and was able to head down and watch over my sister."

"Yeah--- Sydney later attacked the station during one of our celebrations and killed a lot of people in the process so that she could steal one of the drop ships we were going to use to evacuate the station with." An older Skaikru spoke. "Many died--- Ironically when Sydney and her forces seized the ship, they didn't know and we on the ground didn't know was that Mount Weather had set up a jamming system--- a way to prevent people from approaching their home from above--- Well--- their ship came down, but it hit the barrier the Mountain men had constructed and the ship wasn't able to stop falling and it crashed full force into the ground, killing all on board."

Bellamy paused for a moment.

Not out of guilt, but to at least morn the dead--- innocent or not--- they were Kru.

"How did you find out it was them?" Kore spoke sensing that she may be treading on something bad.

"We found out when we confronted their leader prior to his death--- The people on the decent pod didn't know--- it was part of the defense network of Mount Weather when it went off."

"Those were the roughest days when we were being attacked. Animals, monsters, Acid Fog, people... Crap... The Trikru were angry for trespassing on their lands." There was a pause from Bellamy. "There was one who wasn't angry with us... his name was Lincoln... he was smitten with my sister. He had watched us from his cave for days since our arrival. The first time my sister saw him was when she was wondering in the forest and accidentally falling down a steep hill." Kore pulled back in shock. "Well... he picked her up and brought her back to the cave where he had been staying and treated her wounds. The others and I started looking for her and we found both of them. One our friends got killed by some rogue Trikru warrior and she died, while another one, Finn, he was stabbed by Lincoln.”

“One of us was able to knock Lincoln out and bring him back to our camp. As we learned later... Lincoln used poison on his blades. Finn was getting sicker by the moment. We tried to force the cure out of him, but Octavia came up with a way to have him help us. In order to force Lincoln to cure Finn, Octavia picked up one of Lincoln's knives and cut herself with it." Those words drew back a deep breath of shock. "To say it worked was an understatement. While Finn was recovering with his brush with death, Octavia drugged the guard on duty with some of the medicinal plants Clarke had been using and helped Lincoln escape." Bellamy paused before he continued. "It took a while for us to understand him, but every few days Octavia would sneak out and meet with him. Mostly to patch things up between us and him. After a while when things got bad with the local members of the Trikru, especially with their leader Anya did he help us start to understand the situation we were in."

"So... he went from foe to friend... because of Octavia!" Kore spoke as she started to speak again. Bellamy took this as being a good sign in that he had gotten her attention as well as letting it know it was okay for her to speak up.

"Yes, he did. The fact my sister was smitten with the guy... well... being her older brother talking with the man she was in love with proved to be strenuous at times. Even after Arkfall, where our home broke up into the smaller vessels and parts it was made up from fell to the Earth... Well that proved to be a little hard to handle." Bellamy pointed out to the large Sky ship that they were by. "Garden Station came down here in the Ice Nation... Alpha Station came down near Trikru lands and the rest landed all over the place." Bellamy paused... not for effect, but to from what Kore was able to understand weariness from a battle that had taken place. "But that night of Arkfall was also the same night that Anya and her forces attacked... That was when we had to use the engines and fuel we had to defend ourselves by firing them."

"Like what had happened when you were inside of that ship." Kore pointed to the ship.

"Yeah... Well things got rougher afterwards as we were captured by a group of individuals within the nearby Mountain. Mount Weather. Otherwise known to the locals as..."

"The Mountkru..." To say Kore was speechless was an understatement.

"Some of us were locked in observation rooms like Clarke had been so that they could find out more about us. I was otherwise thrown into a cell to have my blood siphoned off." There was a long pause. "I was there as they were sorting through prisoners. Most of us were in bandages and rags that were covering our bodies. In the cell next to me was this young woman who had been there for weeks. She looked like she wouldn’t survive another bout of whatever they were doing to the prisoners at the time. I started to pound on my caged to get their attention so they wouldn’t take her. Well they took me and hit me with some spray that burned and smelled like stuff I don’t even want to even describe before they moved to drain some of my blood away. They did all of this while I was suspended upside down like some slab of meat." Kore gulped hard.

“How did you escape?” Kore spoke concerned.

"I didn’t at the time, but I needed to find my way around. Well being dragged about, I took note of where I was being taken. Even upside down I counted the distance I was moving before I was stabbed with a needle and my blood taken nearly to the point of losing consciousness. After the Mountain Men were done taking my blood I was placed back into my cage." Bellamy spoke as he told the story. "Ironically I got stuck next to a cage holding one of your fellow Ice Nation Warriors who I had saved from having her blood drained. To say that we didn't get along was an understatement... she spat on me when she found out what Kru I was. It took some time for me to explain what was happening between our people's and we came to an understanding that we were ironically on the same side. Then after some time we were able come up with a plan to escape."

Kore kept listening as the blacksmith finished sharpening the chisel edge and motioned for her to place shackle back on the anvil so he could remove it. Bellamy's escape from the mountain mirrored her own.

"Took some time to figure out the guard’s patrol pattern but when we did. I was able to force the door of my cell open as my fellow captive held the guard in place so that we could kill him. Quickly changing into his clothes and dragging his body into the cell to take in my place, I let the fellow captives know that I was coming back for them."

"Then you escaped the Mountain!!!" Kore spoke sensing that the adventure was just beginning.

“No… I searched out for my friends. It took some time to find out where they were, but I did." There was a somberness in his voice. "The people in Mount Weather were trying to figure out who and what we were. They only had limited information about us. They knew that we had decent craft from watching the craft I was in come down and the second one that they made crash. They knew that we carried weapons such as firearms and were not afraid to use them to fight back. They knew that we were inventive in using available resources we had at our disposal. Also, they knew that when treated well, we tended to make alliances with people non-hostile to us." Bellamy paused. "But it was our biology, how our bodies were put together that they were interested in. They wanted to know how we were able to survive in such a toxic environment that they could not survive in without protective suits. When they learned the secrets within our blood... Well--- they targeted the entire group of us to be drained dry." Kore sat in shock--- Drained of blood like a chicken or a hen to make blood sauce for a meal. Kore swallowed to keep her heart within her chest as is attempted to crawl up his throat.

"What happened next?" Kore wanted to know what happened next.

"Well I found Clarke and the others. They were being treated well for the time being, but if they let it known that they were being tricked then they would be in danger." Bellamy paused, Kore sensed that something bad was coming. "Clarke being Clarke, being raised a healer couldn't stand by knowingly and let someone suffer. So, she went down to where the cages were and found one of our enemies--- or former--- Anya."

"Anya??? Wait--- that blonde Grounder queen bitch of Hell was captured by these mountain guys?" Riley called out by Boudicca who was treating his injures at this time.

"Yeah--- she was--- She and Clarke broke out--- made their way through the mountain and were being chased as they escaped through the dam that we found. Well that was one of the entrances into the Mountain. Well Clarke and Anya escaped by jumping out of the spillway. What Anya didn't know was that the Mountain men had placed a Tracker under her skin. Clarke had noticed that they were not being tracked by scent or by footprints, but by this device that had been slipped under Anya's skin. Though most of this Anya had covered their tracks, drenched Clarke and her in mud and a few other things. But after a while Clarke was able to convince Anya to remove the tracker from her skin. Well Anya bit her flesh and pulled it out with her teeth." Kore winced at this image. "Well after getting in a few fights, Anya finally told Clarke that the supreme Commander of all of the Grounders used to be her second. Given the current situation, neither Anya' group nor Clarke's could take on the mountain alone. Clarke decided that heading to where Raven, one of our friends, she had launched a balloon that could be seen at a distance."

"Balloon?" That was a strange word.

"A Balloon, it is a sack that is filled with hot air that can rise up to a great height, well this one had a small flame at the base of it that provided the heat to keep it up. Well seeing this Clarke and Anya headed to our base that that would later become our village of Arkadia." Bellamy sighed. "Well seeing these two mud covered figures approaching, one of the guards fired a round off and hot Anya dead and Clarke got captured by our people thinking that she was a hostile local. It was only when her own mother recognized her that Clarke was set free." Bellamy sighed again, but this time there was some weight to his mood.

"Okay--- Clarke was back with her people then what---" Kore spoke sensing that there was some darkness coming.

"Well--- Clarke woke up and told her mom and the others of what had happened--- about her friends and several other Grounders being trapped within the mountain by the people of Mount Weather. Clarke let it be known that the woman that they had shot, was an individual who was going to help set up a meeting with the Leader of the Grounders. Around this time our leader Kane had been captured right after a fellow member of The Hundred who thinking that Clarke was dead decided to massacre an entire village of Trikru farmers."

“Who was this idiot?” Riley called out. But Bellamy’s answer put shock across his face.

“Finn…”

“Spacewalker… that poor kid out of grief and anger killed those innocent people who had scavenged your basecamp for supplies.” One of the elder Skaikru warriors spoke as he stayed nearby the group.

“Finn??? Wait… not the same Finn who wanted to have a peace treaty with the freaking Grounders… No offence.” Riley spoke looking back toward Boudica who was treating his head wound during this entire story. She only shrugged back, more interested at patching him up as the apology was accepted unspoken and she kept on working. “Wait… you mean Finn lost it over Clarke that bad that he…”

“Killed an entire village full of innocent men, women, and children. The item that set him off was finding Clarke’s jacket.” The Skaikru elder spoke.

“Murphy, our resident scrounger was there, he did his best in an attempt to talk Finn down, but…” Given the way Bellamy was acting… it sounded bad. “Clarke and Octavia and a few others heard the gun shots and they came across the scene.” Bellamy looked drained. “The Grounders were pissed… their leader… Lexa… well… she wanted answers from Kane and Jaha. The entire Blood must have Blood crap reared its ugly head until Kane realized the rules we needed to follow as they discussed the situation. Blood must have Blood, means sacrifice. To protect family. To give a damn about someone. To love--- Kane had to make a blood sacrifice to appease Lexa and let her know that he was willing to talk and the attack on the village wasn't authorized. Trust me, Kane still has the scar on his arm where he cut himself with the knife that Lexa had left in the room for him and Jaha to use on each other. Well she sent Jaha back to camp and kept Kane for some further questioning and to learn about Clarke."

"When Kane got sent back to the camp, well we had Jaha and his followers wanting to find the city of light and wanting to find a peaceful place to live. Then you had the forces that sided with Clarke and the parents of her friends who wanted to get their kids back."

"Well Kane was able to help convince Lexa that the Arkers would have a trail and place down a conviction of guilt on Finn and the Grounders would have an execution."

"We had the trial---"

"Finn was found guilty and out of mercy Clarke had to stab him in the heart to spare him the torment of being slowly bleed to death via a thousand cuts."

"Then what happened?" Kore spoke feeling the final bit of the shackle give way.

"Well--- we had our treaty. But it was tenuous at best. There were those in both camps that wanted it to fail. Some going as far to sabotage it. Raven got blamed for a poisoning event, but Clarke cleared her name by drinking the wine to prove that the poison was in the cup. Well that took out one foe. Then another attempted to assassinate the both of them. Well that caused Clarke and Lexa to have to outrun a giant beast that had been sent after them."

This is when Boudica chimed in.

"Clarke and Lexa took shelter in a place called a Zoo where animals from far off lands had been kept in a long time ago. Well they locked themselves inside of one of the old cages that had held beasts. Clarke had used Lexa's sword to jam the lock of the door and the beast couldn't get them. During this Clarke was able to treat Lexa's wounds. It took most of that night for them to come up with a plan, but in the end, they started to understand each other. I think that was the moment that Lexa started to sense that she had found someone that she had started to have feelings for." Boudica started to clear her throat. "Sorry--- I have to deal with some of the more intimate bits of what Lexa thought of Clarke."

"What do you mean Intimate?" Riley and Kore said at the same time.

"Like as in Lexa loved Clarke and Clarke loved her too." Boudica bit her lip. "They deeply cared for each other." Boudica was doing her best not to go into details about something. "Clarke knows where Lexa's birthmark is on the back of her leg."

"Uh ha---" Riley spoke.

"Clarke's--- warm creamy thighs on her cheeks. Her warmth in bed--- the hot wax spilling on Lexa after the wound check incident while living in Polis." Boudica cleared her throat. "Lexa snuggling near Clarke." Boudica's voice was breaking as Riley's eyes were starting to go wide. Then with an almost child-like voice spoke: "Grounder Pounding close, as in Octavia and Lincoln alone in his cave close."

"Oh--- Crap." Riley caught the reference she didn’t. Boudica cleared her voice. Riley was speechless. Kore was lost at these references and code they were speaking. Maybe it was a Skaikru thing or an adult thing but the story went on. What she wouldn’t give to know what the code meant.

"Yeah---" Boudica finally sighed. "That was later--- but that time is what made them understand that to get the people they cared about out."

"Lexa liked girls--- Clarke liked Guys and girls---" Bellamy explaining the relationship that Clarke and Lexa had for each other. But something spoke of how Bellamy was speaking that he wanted to get back talking about how the alliance between Trikur and Skaikru had taken place. "It took a lot of work for the two of them working together to build the alliance that they needed. When their forces finally came together, they were able to come up with a strategy plan to infiltrate the mountain and do you people back."

This is when Kore ask the biggest question that she had been waiting for. "What happened next Bellamy?"

The only response was with a soft sounding voice. "The war began."

Kore listened attentively as Bellamy recounted how his sister became Indra kon Trikru's second. How Clarke and her mother Abbi worked hard to free Octavia's love Lincoln from his transformation into a Reaper--- The entire battle and taking the mountain through communicating with Bellamy and Jasper within spoke volumes to how they fought. Bellamy's part of the plan was to set the prisoners free and have them take up weapons at the time of the attack. At the same time Lexa and Clarke attacked with their forces from the outside attacking on two fronts, one was the main entrance of the mountain and the other was the dam where Clarke and Anya had escaped through.

The Mountain men split up in different directions, Bellamy and Jasper's group decided to head towards the vault where there was only one way into and thus they were able to tie up warriors there and dig in.

One of Bellamy's friends: Raven and someone called Wick took a small assault team to route the controls of the mountain to where they could reverse the air flow of the vents from blowing out to sucking in. What no one knew other than Clarke before this was that the Mountain men couldn't breathe the outside air without them dying. The poison from long ago was still in air and without the filters keeping their air clean from all of the junk in it, they would die.

Kore leaned closer as she pictured the battle taking forth in the story. Clanging of Swords, swings of Axes and clubs, shooting of arrows and bullets as they entered into the feared layer of the mountain men. Then as the story was falling into place a twist hit with Lexa betraying the Skaikru Chieftain Princess Clarke--- It was only later that the truth was known for why Commander Lexa had left Clarke to finish the battle with her forces alone: The Mountain man warrior: Emerson had learned that he had several people that Lexa had cared about as his prisoners. She was given a choice--- Have her people back or have victory---

Lexa chose to save her people over victory.

Clarke would become the warrior known as Wanheda.

Now the look on Riley's face was priceless as was her’s. Though Riley did say one of the several words she was not allowed to say until she was older.

Clarke kom Skaikru… Boudica’s mentor was Wanheda… The Commander of Death. These were her people. Skairippia was one of her warriors.

Her sister Echo would be so impressed.

Now between looking at Boudica who was sitting before Riley and picturing his friend Clarke--- well he was doing his best to process. Maybe that was why the Slaver’s started to fear that Skaikru would return. It wasn’t their home that they might have taken back, but the vengeance Wanheda… Clarke would have unleashed upon them.

Kore had to quiet those thoughts as she started to feel safe under Bellamy’s voice.

But as Bellamy continued to tell the story of the more recent events such as Wanheda's self-exile and her digging the graves of the innocent children she had to kill to end a war--- well--- that was the heartbreaking part of the story. Maybe that was the reason that after Lexa had sent warriors to find her and bring her to Polis--- well that was the rough part of Lexa explaining why she had performed the actions as she had done earlier in the story.

In the end Lexa had gone out of her way to make up for her actions at the Mountain. Things like making Skaikru the Thirteenth nation. Helping Clarke forge political alliances. Taking down the Evil Queen Nia.

But these actions had brought about internal conflict with those like Titus--- her Flamekeeper who saw these rapid changes as a threat to his own position. Throw in the information of the one known as Murphy learning about the truth about Pramheda Bekka and her connection to Skaikru. Titus decided to kill Clarke and blame it on Murphy, but the Skaikru weapon he used he wasn't used to and Lexa who had heard the shots had rushed into the room and gotten hit. Clarke attempted to save her, but when she ran out of treatment options in treating Lexa's wound and Lexa passed. Fearing the truth of what had happened, Titus locked Murphy and Clarke in Lexa's room until the Conclave could be held.

To say that the mess got worse, Titus didn't know that Ontari kon Azgeda won the Conclave by murdering all of Lexa's initiates. Murphy decided to help Clarke buy time by helping keep the new Commander in check. In truth--- she was more like the Delinquents of the Hundred than she was of Azgeda. When Titus knew he was "Floated" territory, well the Flamekeeper died by Ontarii's blade. Murphy did his best to help guide the young Commander, but he hit problems when Jaha of Skaikru showed up with previous creation of Bekka's: Alie.

To say Alie was angry at the Nightbloods and what Bekka had rebuilt was an understatement. She had started to use people like Jaha who had knowledge of building systems that would allow her to leave her cage that Bekka had locked her in prior to Praimfaya. The reason Bekka had locked her in there was due to her wanting to reduce the number of people on earth through the most efficient means necessary. Well Alie was able to escape for only a moment, during that moment she was able to start the first Praimfaya by casting her will into the weapons of old and setting the world on fire.

In the years after that she waited patiently for someone to help her escape.

That person turned out to be Jaha of Skaikru.

Murphy had figured out that Alie found a way for her spirit form leave and did so by placing a part of her within a backpack that Jaha was bringing with him.

Upon learning this, Murphy was able to escape with a girl named Emori who he had fallen in love with and the two had fled until Murphy got caught trying to steal supplies from travelers outside of Polis. When Titus found out that Murphy had a chip that was similar the Commander's Flame that he wanted answers.

The idea that there was another flame out there would have brought civil war among the people.

The concept of having the knowledge of Commanders at your disposal would have made anyone come from near and far to achieve it.

In truth… that knowledge was a lie.

Alie had used those chips and false flames to seek out the knowledge she was looking for: The True Commander’s Flame forged by Bekka.

Thus, the two paths of the story started to come together.

Murphy who was being set up to take the fall for Wanheda’s death by Titus.

Clarke losing Lexa due to an errant shot.

Ontari becoming commander.

These factors forced Titus to give the Commander’s flame to Clarke to place into Luna of Floukru.

Murphy using his position and knowledge to help buy time for Clarke to escape. But in doing do Titus decided to come clean to Ontari and had his life ended by her blade.

Murphy who was thrust into the position of being a Flamekeeper in title only found out that Ontari was no different than the rest of the Delinquents.

As Jaha came into Polis, Ontari who was hungry for knowledge felt that the Chip would provide her the knowledge to rule.

That was another lie…

Ontari became a puppet to the Red witch.

Boudica seemed sad and hurt when those words were spoken.

Then Boudica revealed she was Ontari… Boudica/Ontari had been the name of an honorable queen in a book that she had read in the City of Light.

That while there moving throughout the library there she had met a boy, Jasper who she felt comfortable with.

Jasper the boy who led the Hundred during the time in the mountain, who… in a place full of lies… the true flame of love touched both of their hearts.

No wonder Boudica/Ontari was looking back at the Sky Ship.

Jasper and Ontari were in love.

But Alie knew how to use and twist love to her advantage and she had used it to fight Wanheda to protect her prized hostage: Ontari.

Alie had dispatched agents who she had endowed with her false flame and demon spirits to follow Clarke and the others she had gathered around her.

People like Bellamy, Monty, Harper, the Skaikru sorceress Raven and her mentor Sinclair, the warriors: Nathan, Bryan, King Roan of Azgeda, and Jasper prior to him being taken over by Alie.

Clarke had attempted to get Luna of Floukru to help her. But the flat-out denial of the Floukru leader to accept the Commander's flame wasn't out of honor to become the next leader, it was the fact that Clarke and the other didn't know was that she was a Mother. When Alie attacked, the Red Witch had used this secret of Luna's to cement Luna's break with Clarke.

Ontari--- had become the only option on the table. The young Commander spoke as she added her information.

During this time, Jasper had been captured for a short time and infected with one of Alie's demon Spirits and was being her eyes and ears spying upon his friends.

Out of a twist of fate, Alie had Jasper and Ontari meet.

Somehow the two of them, even under the Witch's thrall had fallen in love and because of that Alie had a general to lead her forces against Clarke and the others.

Jasper would fight to his dying breath for the woman he loved and Alie used that to devastating effect.

When a plan had been devised by Clarke to take Polis with their small forces, their objective was simple: one team would attack through Alie's spirit connection by breaking the spell of the chips. While Clarke and the others would lead an assault on the city through the secret tunnels under Polis that Roan had learned of and used several times during his exile to get in and out of the city.

Their plan was for Roan to bring Clark tied up to Ontari so that they could Place the Flame into her and defeat Alie. While at the same time their small force could hold the throne room as the ritual took place.

Things didn't go as according to plan.

Because of Jasper being possessed by Alie, she had learned on their plan, so any chance of sneaking in had been exposed.

So, they had to fight.

Those coming in had to hold off forces before they were overwhelmed. Roan had been wounded in the fight, but the armor that Bellamy and Clarke had him wear had saved his life. Realizing that their only way in was to take the lift, a room that could be pulled between floors of the great tower so that they could get to Ontari.

During that mess, Jasper had attacked his friends back at the Skaikru village of Arkadia in an attempt to prevent Raven from weaving her spells to slow Alie down.

It had been brutal and hard as they were forced to fight friends now turned foes under the Red Witch’s thrall.

Then Ontari was struck in the head by one of the Skaikru elders, Jaha while Clarke was being tortured by her own mother Abbi.

Clarke was able to hold out until Bellamy and her friends were able to take the throne room. Jaha had to be knocked out and tied up. Clarke had used a device that Raven had created to free those who had been under Alie’s spell, but it only could be used one person at a time. Clarke had used the only jolt left to free her mother to help treat Ontari.

The tension in the air was amazing.

Kore knew that Ontari survived for she was here, but how did they defeat the Witch?

The sound of Skaikru weapons being fired, Skairippia's blade swinging through the air. Fist hitting face. Club hitting bone. An army spewing its way through the Commander's Hall.

Kore wanted Bellamy and the others to hurry up.

Then she learned.

Remembering a section from Bekka's journal about how she had forged the original Nightbloods the members of the ancient Skaikru had been forged the same way. They shared a connection in their blood. Skaikru's blood could heal the sick, while the same factors had been given the Nightbloods along with the ability to hold the Commander's Flame.

Clarke needed the blood from a Nightblood to fight Alie and Ontari needed the healing blood of a Skaikru to battle the angel of death.

Alie did not see this coming.

Clarke and Abby used her mother's healer's kit to take two hoses from it and ran one from Ontari to Clark and the other the opposite way from Clarke to Ontari. Then with each heartbeat. Blood moved between Heda and Wanheda just as Clarke took the Alie's chip and placed in the Commander's Flame into her head.

Wanheda journeyed into the false City of Light and had to face down an army of her followers led by one of her own fellow warriors: Jasper of Skaikru--- Ontari's lover.

But Wanheda wasn't alone as Heda Lexa came to battle by her side along with the former Commanders. But they had to get Wanheda to Bekka so that they could battle the Red Witch as it was Bekka's 'kanic knowledge that had forged Alie in the first place. Bekka could only provide the weapon as only a living person with Nightblood in their veins could strike down Alie.

Alie thought that by taking Ontari out of play where she couldn't use the flame would protect her.

No---

Bekka had planned for this.

One didn't need to be born a Nightblood, just have Nightblood in their veins to use the "kill switch". Which given its name and what she knew was a type of folding knife. When she saw Monty of Skaikru take a metal handle switchblade knife out of his pocket, she didn't pay much heed to it until he flipped it open to see a pair of pliers come out of the end of it that she realized why Bekka had chosen such a weapon to use.

It looked like a switchblade, but it was a tool.

Bekka knew that if she needed to hide a blade, make it look like one of her tools.

Clarke threw the blade at Alie while she was stating why she was doing the things she had done, including explaining why she had caused the First Praimfaya. Before Alie died she showed Clarke that she had started another Praimfaya as her endgame in case she was ever defeated.

Kore stopped cold.

"Yeah--- we were able to put some of the reactor fires out from her attempts, but the fires she did start are going to leave one Hell of a mess in their wake." Bellamy spoke as she sighed. "The fires she started have poisonous smoke in them and once the smoke hits the clouds and comes down as rain. It is going to be bad. The radiation levels were high enough to decimate a complete village of One-hundred and twenty-five Floukru leaving thirteen survivors from A.R.S."

"A Are Ess?" Was a strange word. It must mean something that was bad as Riley was turning white.

"Wait--- you mean---" Riley was trying to force out his words.

"Acute Radiation Syndrome." Ontari spoke the words. The way she looked was like she had seen battle--- horrible dead bodies covering fields as far as the eye can see battle.

Kore's uncle had been through one of these battles and still jumped whenever he walked by a blacksmith shop while they were working.

"Wait reactors as in nuclear!" Riley declared in shock. Nuclear must have meant something very bad.

"Yeah---" Bellamy spoke as he looked back at the Skaikru ship that was now being checked out by the Skaikru that were there. "So far we are in a race to get everyone into what shelters we can find. Peace has become a more appetizing option."

"So--- you were not here to save me?" Riley voiced disheartened.

"Actually, we only got word that the assholes that were in there had prevented those working on Garden Station from completing their work. In actuality we were on our way here to pick up some medicine that Jasper grew illegally and stashed in the walls of his room for Abby." Riley started to understand more of the events that had led his friends here and to Kore's own rescue. "It was only when we got here and Bryan recognized the group as being the assholes that chased off Pike and his bunch and killed Monty's dad that we started to put the pieces together. Your rescue was sort of a bonus."

"So--- this medicine that this Abby needs--- what is it to treat?" Kore wondered what

"The aftereffects of treating ARS. The antidote used to treat the poison is powerful, but given how they were affected the cure was worse than the poison. I am not going to lose anymore innocents on my watch. I have had my fill of death and once Jasper finds that hiding spot where he stashed that stuff---" This is when Jasper returned.

"Hey... It took me a while to find it considering that someone shoved a large crate up by the panel I hid my harvest behind." Jasper looked a bit haggard from what looked to be him working to get to his goal.

The rough smell coming off of the large pack that he had stank on a level that made a stink cat smell like rose but more feral. Whatever this healing herb was, if she ever had a tea made from that stuff she swore she would have to be on her deathbed. She did not envy those who had to be taking that herb to survive this ARS Poison. That was when she started to think about her sister again.

Maybe she was on her way here.

"Bellamy." Kore decided to learn more about this Skaikru warrior. "The Azgeda warrior that you were in the mountain with... what was her name?" Bellamy looked hurt--- “Did she get out of the mountain?" The way Bellamy looked like he had lost this person. "Did she die?"

"No. She didn't die… though she did get out of the mountain and returned to her home." Bellamy looked like something had happened.

"Something bad happened to her didn't it?"

"She--- she later returned and betrayed me. Through a series of events was part of the group of Azgeda that caused the deaths of forty-seven Skaikru who were originally from Garden Station." The way he was acting spoke that something bad happened to him or someone he loved.

"Did you lose someone?"

"Gina--- the woman I loved." Bellamy looked hurt. The fact that the person he had loved had been from this Skai Village must have been the reason that he had come here.

“Did you come here to return her ashes to her home?” Kore sensed that there was something more happening. Kore hated this, everyone thought that her being a child meant that she needed to be protected.

“No…” Bellamy bit her lip. “Gina was buried alive along with those who were trapped inside of Mount Weather when members of Garden Station were in the process of setting up their village. They needed a place to take shelter and…” This Bellamy was crying. Kore moved to hug him. Hugs were a good thing, they let people know that they were not alone. Even a brave warrior occasionally after a battle would need a hug so that he could go onto the next battle stronger knowing that he wasn't alone in his fight.

This is when Ontari moved from where she was at with Jasper inspecting the herb they had come here to get and join her and Ballamy.

"Skaikru had to take in the old Mountkru layer to stay warm as they were in the process of setting up their village. Since it is so late in the season, they had to plant their crops first before they started to build their dwellings. Nia wanted a war with Trikru--- Skaikru got caught in the middle. Because of this, the chief of this village named Pike who was in Polis working with Bellamy on a rescue mission with Bellamy and other warriors of the Skaikru and Trikru villages to protect Lexa and Clarke from being killed." Ontari sighed. Nia got her war, but it was after her death and Azgeda wasn't the one who waged it.

This is when Clovis and the Skaikru warrior Miller the Elder approached.

"Pike of Skaikru filled full of grief at the loss of his fellow villagers, he forced his way into becoming their chieftain by stating that their current chieftain was siding with the local krus and not with the needs of their people. Using every little tattoo or mark that some of Skaikru had gotten out of acts of honor by fighting against the Mountkru got them labeled as traitors to their people." Clovis spoke.

"Clovis is right--- the Azgeda that Pike and those who had lived in Garden station had gone up against in trying to make a home for themselves just broke them. What took place with the bombing just finally caused Pike to seek out his dark urges and unleash them." Miller the Elder spoke.

"Pike took those who had lost people in the bombing and--- we---" Miller moved and patted Bellamy on the shoulder.

"It's alright son--- you were used as a tool to kill those members of the Blockade Lexa had sent to protect us from reprisals from Azgeda."

"We killed three hundred warriors in their fucking sleep Miller! Those people had Husbands, Wives, Sons and Daughters--- Shit--- Niyliah’s father; Clarke's friend was one of them." Bellamy punched the ground. "Octavia lost Lincoln because of my actions. The Man she loved. I didn't pull the trigger, but I was part of his group." This is when the one known as Monty rose from his location by the warrior Harper to come over.

"My mother was part of that mess--- don’t you think that I don't feel guilty about those deaths too." Monty communicated to his friend. "You said it to your sister. I'm Hundred, she is Hundred, and you are Hundred--- that will never change no matter what kru they decide to join or station they are from."

"If it wasn't for Echo---" Bellamy called out.

"You wouldn't have been able to escape or save her life."

"Wait her name was Echo--- as in Echo kon Azgeda." Kore was doing her best to process this.

Her sister was a murderer of innocents...

She needed to know if it was truly her sister.

"Bellamy... Ontari... my... Heda." Kore rose to her feet and started to pull off her dress. Ontari was about to stop her but Kore stopped pulling her clothes off until her family tattoo on her right arm could be seen. The Crescent curved arch that went from the edge of the side of her upper right bicep over the top of her shoulder and down back. "Was it this mark?" Bellamy reaching out to touch it and sighed spoke all.

Kore sobbed as Ontari moved to comfort her.

"Right of the Kill doesn't mean to bring death to the guilty... it means to bring justice to." Monty stated. "Murphy knows of this, he was accused of a crime--- The death of Jaha's son Wells. The true killer was found. Murphy was guilty of other things. In the death he was innocent--- This girl's sister--- same circumstances such as Bellamy here. Deaths took place to find the truth--- Speak to her, find out what she knows. When we return to Arkadia, with your knowledge, Kore's knowledge and Echo's knowledge. The truth will be found."

"Blood must have blood has its limits." Ontari spoke as she realized that a new age was coming. "Truth will slay or set one free. I am starting to understand what Clarke, Bekka and Francesca were trying to teach me.' This is when Ontari started to wipe away the tears from Kore's face. "Kore of Azgeda, I wish to know about the events that took place from when you were captured till we rescued you. Hopefully any fact you can remember can help understand why Nia was working with the Slavers?" Kore realized that her part of things wasn't so much for her sister to save her, but for her to save her sister.

"My Commander I will try...." Kore took a deep breath and did her best to be strong. "I will try to remember everything I can to aid you to save my sister." Bellamy sighed and saw that spark of strength that made him fight to save that Azgeda warrior in the cell next to him.

 

* * *

 

 

Luna listened to the woman talk. Occasionally Luna would sense when she was being lied to, but right now she wasn't. There was something more going on. Echo was doing her best to leverage her way out of this mess that she found herself in. Though when the topic came up about Bellamy there was a clear sense of remorse about what she had done. Almost an acceptance of what she had done to earn her a punishment that was so horrible that being buried alive only touched on the horrors some would wish to bring upon her here in Arcadia.

A Death by thousand cuts seemed to always be on her mind as being the most pleasant way to go. But this shock lashing was a new concept to her. The only person Luna knew of that had this weapon used on them was Senua, even then it had been one blow. What would ten blows do to someone?

Luna needed to talk with Clarke about that.

As the rain pattered outside the window, Luna adjusted her body some as she started to spin the spear rifle she had been given between her arms to kill the boredom. Luna had picked the weapon mostly out of fact that according to Harper before she had left, the weapon had been nonfunctional. Secondly when the weapons had been used, it had been used as a spear after its single round had been discharged through its barrel. Echo had realized that Luna had grown bored with the situation and with the partial truths and lies that had been told to her.

That was when Murphy and Clarke came in to help take over guard duty.

"Luna..." Murphy spoke looking at her. The sense that he was in a position where being a father was helping lay out his decisions about the future. Echo's trial and punishment was going to be part of that child's future and he wanted to make sure that for good or ill, the right decision was made. "Adria is asking about you." Luna looked up at Murphy. For a man who felt normal in self-loathing, maybe it was a defense mechanism to protect himself against harm. But this becoming a father had forced a new type of protectiveness upon him. Like he had to hate himself for a different set of reasons, those reasons being in letting someone he cared about down. That wasn't a place to be in from Luna's recent experience with her nearly losing her Kru. Conversely her becoming his Flamekeeper apprentice, she had to become his teacher as well in helping him become a better parent as she learned of the secrets of the Nightblood's true strength that Bekka had created them for.

"Alright... I have done my best to help figure out Echo here. So far, she knows she is guilty of the things she has done, but she is still holding something back. I don't know what Nia had on her to force her into the mission, but whatever it is... she is willing to die for it." Luna stated.

"We will see what we can do to figure it out." Clarke acknowledged. Luna had come to respect the young Skaikru leader over the days she had been here. Clarke's compassion and caring for others wasn't for show, it was the core of her being. Echo... though a one-time foe didn't deserve to be lynched by angry members of Skairku.

"Clarke..." Luna spoke sensing that this conversation would be better carried out from earshot from Echo. Standing up Luna motioned for Clarke to follow her to be outside of Echo's earshot. "This shock lashing... I have heard rumors about it being used on your own people whenever a crime was committed." Luna paused for a moment to place her words in an order that wouldn’t sound childish. “That it was used on someone other than Senua.” Clarke sighed at this.

“It was used on my mother… Abbi.” The pained look on Clarke’s face spoke volumes. “There was a set of laws that my people had when they first came to the ground… they were called the Exodus Charter. A set of laws to keep people in line. Let’s just say when Kane came to power among my people, they were repealed. Then when Pike came to power he put them back into place.” Clarke was growing somber. “Under those laws any act of treason was dealt with execution. Octavia’s love Lincoln went against Pike along with Kane and Sinclair and they were marked for death.” Clarke sighed. “Lincoln needed to buy time to save Octavia, Kane, Sinclair and a few others that needed to flee Arkadia. Lincoln turned and surrendered to Pike and those loyal to him. A short while later with everyone outside and Octavia at a good distance from the camp. Pike executed Lincoln. Octavia saw Lincoln be shot in the head. It crushed her.” Luna started to feel sick. Part of this she knew, but to see someone die before you… Luna cried.

“This Charter… what was it used for when it to being lashed?” Luna wanted to know. She had to know.

“Kane used this part of the charter to restore order over Arkadia right after the stations came down. My mother had violated several of our weapons laws and in order to keep the peace Kane ordered her to be shock lashed ten times. Once the camp was put back in line... Kane decided that my mother was right and appointed her chancellor after he had pardoned her for her actions and dissolved the Charter.”

"So, Echo's punishment is going to follow the rules of this charter?" Luna braced herself.

"Yes and no." Clarke paused for a moment before she continued. "Luna... there are many of the families that lost loved ones in the Azgeda bombing that they want to restore the charter... this is something that me and the rest of the hundred and a few others are willing to go to great lengths to prevents. No... We need to establish a new tradition of punishment, something that will fit with the traditions here on the ground. I am not going to have another Pike emerge and repeat the mistakes that lead us to be in this situation were infractions are punished with death or worse." Clarke was driven to change her people's ways so that they were peaceful or at least willing to be not as aggressive as they had been in the past.

"You want to use Echo as an example of something along the lines of _Blood must not have blood_!" Luna was sensing the direction where Clarke was going.

"Yes..." Clarke was pointing to a path of where she was planning on going. "Not only that, but I want to show that we have a code of honor. I want to use what we learned with Right of the Kill..." This is when Murphy interrupted.

"Otherwise known as Murphy's Law." Murphy cleared his throat. "Trust me. I don't want a repeat of the mistakes of the past too. No, Echo needs to be punished, but we want something that can been seen by you all as being a worthy punishment. I don't want a repeat of being seen as guilty for doing something you didn't do. Everyone is guilty of something, but being blamed for something you were not directly part of or being part of a group, you were close to that caused a mess shouldn't mean that you have to be punished for their crap as well. I have been there and done that, thank you very much. I can accept a banishment, even a lashing for the crap, but an execution cannot be undone."

"So, by shock lashing her is your way of sending a message to not just your people, but to the other members of the Kru that you are willing to obey our ways. But you are also lenient in knowing that there needs to be peace with your former foes at some point." Luna realized that whatever Echo was willing to die for must be something so honor bound her that if it was learned it would be worse than death. This is when Luna responded. "Clarke... whatever Echo is willing to die for must have to do with Bellamy and their history." This brought a look of worry across Clarke's face.

"Ah... Crap and it will be a while till he returns and we don't know their full history together... if we aren't able to get that information from her soon and if people learn that she is in here, then we are looking at a bloodbath." Luna's own sense of non-violence took on new meaning. Luna needed to apply her gifts that she had learned about fighting and about the pain it brought to help guide these people into their role in this larger world.

"Maybe you will have a better chance with her than I have. You know Bellamy better, maybe you can use that to help you out." Luna confided.

"Might work. If I can figure out what they had in common." Clarke was doing her best to work with what she had been given.

"Well... Talk about Bellamy. It has to do with the Mountain. Ask. Maybe it will give you the break you need to find out what she is willing to die for." Luna's words bore weight for Clarke.

In that moment Luna understood why Lexa had loved her so. Clarke was a warrior that knew when to fight with a spear and when to fight with compassion. Clarke knew pain and suffering, but also knew that by showing compassion it could at times be lifted and healed.

"I will do that... Now Luna, go be with your daughter. I will take it from here." With that Luna picked up her rifle spear and headed out of the Skaikru dungeon and back to her child. In the back of her mind thinking about speaking to Abby for more details about Skaikru's views on punishment and justice.

 

* * *

 

 

Senua sat down on one of the stairs in Arkadia. She was doing her best to find her quiet place where she could find her humanity.

Several individuals who had felt the wrath of Red Witch Alie had started to seek her out. Not to fight her, but to talk.

Senua had been turned into a monster and forced back into being a human. Now that monster woman looked to be less than a beast and more of a woman. Maybe that was why several warriors had sought her out with help with their own monsters being unleashed. Knowing that she wasn't alone in her darkness helped. But there were times where she needed to be alone.

If the Skaikru's goddess the Earth Mother had wanted her to come here, then maybe what had happened to her could help other's cope with their own monsters being unleashed.

Sitting on these stairs she closed her eyes and breathed. Being this near the top of the station where few traveled unless they needed to was a welcome reprieve from the noise from the outside. The curved arch of these buildings spoke to it being constructed in the sky. One of the rooms looked have been upside down which was maddening though from what she understood, there was really no up nor down while being high up in the heavens.

She imagined the Skaikru at times hanging from the ceiling like bats in a cave.

Senua grinned at this.

Then one of the coywolves came up to her and sat near her. The scent spoke volumes as the creatures we fur could be smelt from a good distance away.

Opening her eyes, she saw it to be Bullworth.

The animal attempted to cross his front paws to look like her.

The Nightblood children and these animals seemed to have taken a liking to her. Senua thought it was out of the fact Ontari had helped patched her up with the children... the coywolves... well, there was peace about them that Senua found comforting.

Exhaling hard with a sigh... Senua watched as the animal took that cue to approach her and place his head on her leg.

The unspoken language that the animal communicated spoke volumes.

_Can I stay here for a little while?_

Senua understood.

"You want to be outside of the noise?" Senua spoke as the animal nodded. Skaikru was hammering plates into place to protect this once flying village ship from the poison smoke of Alie's Second Praimfaya. Only a few places around this village provided a reproved from the noose of hammers hitting steel. This was when a noise was made behind her. Senua turned to see one of the other Nightbloods approaching.

"Bullworth? You up here?" It was Luna's daughter Adria. The girl's bony body spoke of the weight she had lost due to the sickness. But it hadn't affected her mind. That was thriving. Given the amount of time she was spending with the Skaikru 'Kanic Raven some of the locals thought that the girl was becoming her apprentice.

Senua's knew different.

Raven and Adria had bonded because they missed their homes.

Raven's in the sky.

Adria's in the water.

Ever since Senua's chains had been removed; word passed that her monster had been purged. Well children started to seek her out to get some idea of what happened to their family members. From what Senua had heard Adria was no different.

Senua sensed that Adria was looking for her opportunity to speak to her. Seeing Bullworth near her, Senua decided to respond.

"He is by me." Senua spoke sensing that this was a chance for her to speak to the young Nightblood. Adria creaked over the edge of the stairs. Over the last few weeks since her murder run on Wanheda, Senua's life had changed so much. Harper was right... she needed to accept that she wasn't the only monster that had been unleashed upon the world. A few people when they had learned that she had regained her soul had come to speak to her.

Maybe hearing her own nightmares and theirs under the thrall of this Red Witch had brought her comfort. A few had come to her for some answers to what to do next. All she could said was they had to endure the challenges ahead. It was a journey and knowing that they were not alone was what gave others strength.

The small things counted.

Bullworth slowly started to snuggle next to her.

"Senua..." Adria spoke as she approached. "... What was it like when you were a monster?" Senua sighed. "My Father was taken over by the Red Witch." Senua's heart broke some.

"YOU don't feel anything. In my case when the Mountain men enslaved me... they gave me this red potion to make me obedient. The rest of the time, you are in this fog, waiting to hear anywhere to kill the boredom. That and the hunger. So hungry you eat, anything... the Mountain men took pleasure in using us as a means to clean up the mess of their drained leftovers. I had to eat the dead. That was the only food they gave us." Senua cried. "I will never each the flesh of anything ever again because of that."

"I didn't know... would you eat fish?" Adria pulled back some.

"Don't know...." Senua spoke. This is when Adria presented her an Apple. "Depends on how it is cooked."

"Here is an Apple." Adria offered. Senua grinned.

"Thank you..." Senua touched the Apple. It was an heirloom type. The type she loved eating baked as a child. Adria sensed that this small gesture meant the world to her.

"This place feels like my home." Adria sat on the floor of the stairway. "I mean I miss the night rain and the crash of the waves, but... metal on my feet feels nice." Senua grinned.

"I miss the smell of wood. But the people here don't see me as a monster."

"Maybe because, they see you... they know what happened to you. Everyone else sees magic... they just see someone that was on some potion."

"All too true. Harper said that I was lucky when she hit me with the shock rod. I was a day from dying."

"Oh...." Adria approached near her. Adria bit her lip before she spoke again. "I hear that Ontari is going to punish Echo Kom Azgeda by hitting her with a shock rod. That Echo will have it struck upon her flesh several times."

"I have heard." Senua looked at the healing wound on her hand.

"What was it like?" Adria expressed worried.

"Why would you want to know?"

"Because... because my mother...." Adria took a deep breath and braced herself for a battle of words with Senua. "Because, my mother has been speaking with those who are protecting Ontari's Right to Kill, Echo." Senua nodded.

“So, the time has arrived for the Commander to decide on punishment of those wronged during war.” Senua’s shoulders fell as the weight of her own actions started to come back to her. Then she spoke. "It Hurt... Like your heart was being stabbed, being smothered, choking, your muscles screaming like you have been worked to beyond exhaustion. Being beaten in places that you didn't know could be hurt. But knowing that you are bowels and urine is rushing out of you during all of this as it is taking place between every beat of your heart." Adria swallowed. "Passing out is the only peace you will have before you take your next breath. But it doesn’t come. No. Your next breath feels like your lungs have been set on fire as your chest pulls to usher air into them. That is just the first shock. The others… the others make that look like a blissful bath as a result."

"Oh..." Adria did her best not to quake in fear where she was. Adria did her best, but it showed.

“Then feeling it end… that is where you sense the true nightmare that begins as you know that you are alive. You feel like you have been punched and every last hair on your flesh and the nails on your hands and feet scream.” This is when Senua looked down the hall. “You are faced with your actions. It is only the mercy of those healing you that brings peace.” This is when Senua looked at Adria. “So… young Nightblood. I hear that Bekka has blessed you with her heritage? Could you tell me about that?” Senua reached out to wipe at a line of blood that had started come from the edge of Adria’s nose.

"Well... I know that having Black blood grants you power to fight this sickness." Adria moved to cross her legs by this set of stairs. A member of the Hundred walked by with one of their bracelts on as they headed on up. "Hi Collette." Adria called out. The brown-haired girl with the purple berry stripes in it looked down and grinned.

"Hi, Adria, Senua..." This is when the girl reached up to her earpiece. "No Clarke... I am heading up to the top of the arch to get a clear view. I will contact you when I get to the hatch. Collette out." With that the Skaikru warrior sprinted up the stairs. Senua realized that the Warriors of the Hundred seemed like the grand warriors of old. With their powers and might was the stuff that children dreamed to be.

"That is strange." Senua spoke as she watched Collette move up the stairs. "Skaikru doesn't really head up this far into the arch unless they need to do something." This caught Adria's attention.

"Like what?" Adria stated.

"Well. Most of the rooms up there are upside down. Most of what has been worked on has to place them right-side up, are only a few."

"Well she did say she was heading to hatch. Which means if this was a flying ship at one time then, it was to head somewhere or connect to something."

"Well, let us leave her be." Senua spoke as she looked down to see how the crowd below moved. "So... how are you adapting to being a Nightblood?" Senua spoke as she leaned back some. Like all children, the sound of adventure started to seek Adria out. Like a piper leading rats from villages.

"Good..." Adria was starting to follow the tune she had started to sway to. "Clarke is a healer... and why would she be having Collette heading up to the top of the ship?" Adria started to move as she stood up and started to walk towards the stairs.

"Adria... we should let her be." Senua spoke as she looked at Adria.

"The arch used to be the mast of this flying sky ship... so... it would be a place if you were on the sea to look at something come from far away." Adria spoke leaning back of her seafarer heritage.

Adria was being pulled to discover what was taking place.

"Adria..." Senua tried her best to sound formal and solid in stating that she shouldn't proceed to interrupt Collette.

Adria had other ideas as she sprinted by the former Reaper.

Before Senua got the chance to sware at the young Nightblood, the girl was almost out of sight.

"Horseshit..." Senua spoke under her breath as she and Bullworth sprinted up the stairs.

Senua felt her legs move as she had become accustomed to her permanent changes to her body.

Redoubled bone and muscle and things she didn't quite understand made her stronger and faster. Skaikru had worked to get her off of that cursed potion and fixed her body to the point where it wouldn't be falling apart on her.

Getting to the top of the structure after sprinting up various sets of stairs and paths to get to the top of the arch that Adria finally slowed down.

Seeing Collette standing by the hatch, Adria watched as she moved to open it and using a long hook she pushed it out of the hatch. Something was being brought in.

It looked to have been anchored up here at the top of this Sky Ship.

"Okay... got the ranged antenna that Raven worked up for us to speak with Polis. Looks like the solar panels has a glitch in it." This was when she looked at the panels. "Correction, we have bird crap."

"Um we had the same problems back on the rig when we had sea birds taking up nesting on our light tower."

"WHAT!!!!" Colette called out when she realized that she wasn't alone.

The volume of her voice was enough that Clarke must have been startled by Colette's voice on the other side of the radio. As the Commander of Death could be heard calling back through the earpiece wondering what in the dark underworld was going on.

"Adria, wait she is there's with you!!!" The muffled sound of Clarke's voice echoed in the large empty space.

"Sorry." Adria spoke as she slowly approached Collette. "I know it is not my place to intrude on things that are outside my knowledge. But your problem is similar to one that I had back on my home." Adria composed herself the best she could. "Back on the Rig..." Adria swallowed hard. "Back on my home..." Adria was working through the memories of losing friends and loved ones back in her old before she fought her way through it to continue. "We always had birds taking up and making nests on our tower. It wouldn't have been so bad, but their poo when it mixed with the flame gases, made things go boom."

This had Colette's attention.

"How did you fix the problem?"

"We rigged a group of fans to a wheel that spun around on its axel and placed pieces of old flippers around the edges of it when the wheel spun the fin pierces would slap against the tower making noise to scare off the birds."

"What made this thing work?" Colette spoke as she looked at the bird poo encrusted panel.

"The wind." Adria said. "It is a windmill. Like the one you use to pump water. Raven has been teaching me to be a Kanic. My _father_ used to work on the engines to our fishing boats before Alie took him away to the next world." Adria saying _Father_ in the language of the trees only drove home the point that she wanted to help.

"Can you draw it?" Colette looked not happy at the task before her. If there was a way to avoid touching the bird shit she was open to it. Sort of like using some types of tree sap on one’s skin and clothes to keep insects away.

"Yes, I can." Adria spoke as she looked for something to draw with.

What emerged in the following minutes by this girl’s hand showed that she was a descendant of Bekka.

 

* * *

 

 

"Do you know what it is like to pull you out and shove something back in. Do you know what it like it feels like to be unmade? It is a level of Hell that I wouldn't wish on anyone. I have been in that Hell. My fealty and loyalty are to my people. The people of all Kru. I welcomed this evil to these lands, I am going do my best to make it leave." Ontari spoke to the group as they traveled.

"You're not as evil as people think you are," Kore spoke to the young Commander in training.

"No. I'm much worse," Ontari spoke.

Ontari clutched the satchel that Jasper had gotten for her. The smelly herb really stank, but knowing that it could help save many lives... Well... she could live with what it could do.

Looking over at Bellamy and Kore as the transport headed back to Arkaida with the freed slaves for medical treatment spoke to her new role in society.

The battle she fought wasn't a victory... These people didn't see her as a Commander, they saw her as something else... Something far better than being seen as a Queen or their ruler.

They saw Ontari as Ontari...

A woman who was fighting for all of the Kongeda.

Yes, she had powers and gifts that he heritage granted her. By the name of her ancestors, she was doing her best to learn how to use them to their fullest potential.

Being a Nightblood was only a bloodline. No... To lead, she had to show a strength of character that would have people follower her because they wanted to, not because they had to. The integrity to be known for something more than the violence she had used to come to power.

How did Clarke deal with this? How did Lexa--- The weight of leadership?

But this... Dru of Azgeda... he said it best: "Ontari, daughter of London and Hamilton of Azgeda. Descendent of Rebecca of Polaris chose to save these people, not because they were friends or enemies, she chose to save them because it was the right thing to do."

The information about her parents' names had been learned from the records that the slavers had kept in their layer of the stock that they had for sale.

Jasper had found those records while cleaning out the pile of junk that had been piled in his old room. He had given them to her to help trace the locations of returning those they had rescued. Heading back to Arkadia, Ontari felt on the papers shift within the satchel of weed that Jasper had salvaged and started to think about the life that she might have had if Nia hadn't stolen her away from her parents.

Giving her current age Ontari would have probably gotten married at this time in her life. With a child on the way, maybe one in the crib. Maybe both.

Ontari remembered that moment after Skaikru had found one of the slavers that had managed to dive into a maintenance patch when the explosion had taken place. Given the events of what had happened in the old space station's hydroponics room when Monty had freed the slaves by breaking the main lock of their chains – well, those slaves took out their vengeance upon their former master. The one that had almost got away, well to quote Jasper: "sheesh, Ontar, I know you had to float the guy in front of everyone just so you could have your little personal revenging bloodbath on the bastards that stole you from your parents. That Understand. The language you used in front of the children here--- not the type of thing that inspires--- ’Tari. Do you want to kiss children with that mouth? That is the thing that comes to mind."

Driving a pickax into that one slaver's skull repeatedly did make her feel a whole lot better afterwards.

It was only when she had started crying that everyone had realized that this was her right of the Kill.

Ontari was... she just wanted to let all of that pain go. Her mouth just went along for the ride.

Half the things she had said... not the stuff that children should hear- the rest... well was suited for nightmares of the damned.

Ontari had started to speak of her time in the box... What had happened to her, what Nia did to her- Maybe running into the City of Light was her way of finding peace from that unspeakable pain.

Now... this peace was real for her.

Jasper completing the pattern- even temporarily on the left side of her face with marker made her feel whole.

She had fought her own personal battle with her ghosts--- now one was vanquished.

Maybe burning Nia's body over the Garden Station settlement would be her way of sending that bitch to Hell.

Kore moved closer to Bellamy as the storm clouds started to form around them from the North.

A North Wind Winter was coming.

As long as the weather from the North kept like this, there was hope that the Radiation poisoning would be lessened on the western Azgeda lands. It would be rough because the storms coming from the oceans would be lasting much longer along the Eastern lands near the Great Desert.

Nuclear Autumn Clarke had called it.

This much radiation and smoke was going to be affecting the way that the planet would be warming itself.

In this case, it would cause a longer winter.

A great winter that none alive had seen since the time of the Praimfaya.

Bekka leaned against her. Even in her spirit form, Ontari's ancestor seemed to be more attentive to her now.

"Heard what you did to the Slavers." Bekka spoke as she looked at the group.

"I did what I did Bekka." Ontari pulled the pouch closer.

Several of the former prisoners started to look at her.

"I understand." Bekka seemed to understand the weight of the situation that Ontari had gone through. "Not the only group of slavers that you will have to deal with. Trust me... Slavery is a sickness that curses every civilization that thinks it is higher than the All Mighty."

"All Mighty?" Ontari spoke as Bekka explained.

"The creator of all, the one that made the darkness into the light." Bekka spoke. "The one that started off the Big Bang, that brought all of existence into being."

"Oh... that ancient god that the 'kanic's worshipped." Ontari nodded. "kinda of figures... the one that forged the world into being would be your mark of a leader." Bekka grinned. "What does that have to do with fighting slavers?"

"Ontari. You are trying your best to overcome the challenges before you, but it is a battle that is not won in a single victory. It will be a campaign. There will be advances as well as setbacks. You will have to understand that the only way that you will overcome this is to break your challenges into smaller battles where you can work through each one. With each challenge that is overcome will you finally have a victory. You don't have to think of yourself as being more powerful than a god. Just overcoming the challenges before you, even if they are small ones will be enough to ensure that even a god will respect you. Showing compassion, and kindness is not a sign of weakness. It shows that you are willing to share that strength so that when it is time you can have that strength back to fight the challenges before you."

"So, this battle that I help fight. These people that I helped free..."

"You have our fealty." One of the former slaves spoke.

"You will have to look into their eyes and say to them: Will you die for me?; and if they say: yes by their own free will---" Ontari spoke softly remembering a lesson that Clarke and Lexa had tried to drill into her head for weeks now. It now started to make sense.

"What was that?" One of the women spoke up that Ontari had liberated.

"A lesson that Clarke and Lexa had drilled into my head. It now makes sense. Bekka just pointed out what it fully means."

Ontari moved from her seat and knelt down before the group.

"I pledge my fealty to you all. When the time comes and I ask for help. Please come and aid me." Ontari bowed before them holding the parcel in front of her.

"We will our Heda." Ontari rose her hand.

"I am not your Heda in this. I am like you, an equal. All I wish is to protect the people I care about. No matter what land they are from. I wish to protect them from harm as I would do to protect those you love from harm. You have my blood, my flesh, and my soul."

"As you have the same from us." The group responded back.

Ontari felt a hand on her and turned to see Harper looking at her.

"Let us go on to the next battle. Saving a sister."

Ontari's eyes teared.

She wasn't alone.

 

* * *

 

 

Luna dreamt of the ocean. The wetsuit she was wearing was far different than the one her people used. The design seemed to be more colorful and striped like they were not meant for warriors, but to signal that one was there given how they were patterned. Adria's had large pink swaths to its mostly blue body. Raven who was floating next to Adria, her wetsuit was mostly black other than a few white strips on the legs and arms, but with a white chest piece that had the Skiakru symbol on it. After a moment of seeing Raven float in the water the pattern started to make sense as she looked like a bird in flight. Looking back at Adria's wetsuit, Adria looked to be a striped sea snake. The patterns seemed to reflect protection or symbols of their wearers.

Luna looked at hers and saw that it looked to be Black and Red... Though there was something about it that didn't make sense until she got to the water and saw that it showed a war armor appearance to it. It scared her a little, but the more she looked at it, it looked like the ancient armor of a set of honorable warrior poets she had learned about in the past... the Amazons.

Luna was tired of fighting, but why was she wearing the armor of a sect of warriors?

Then the name she had been called off and on since her arrival in Arkadia started to make sense: Amphitrite, The war nymph.

If Clarke was the Commander of Death, then maybe this wetsuit must have been someone's gift to her to represent who she was. The Nightblood (Warrior) from the sea (Nymph) Sea Maiden.

That was when the water moved and not by her moving in it or by the waves caused by the wind. The water seemed to be alive.

After all of the death that had taken place the ocean seemed to have changed. Raven was floating in the water next to an older Adria as they chatted about feeling at home. Adria in the water and Raven floating like she was a bird in the sky.

"Raven... I love days with you and my Mommun here. It is different than the Rig but for you it is different than your ship home."

"It is..." Raven had her hair freely moving around her. "I like being around your Mom too..."

"Well she did help you with your pain..." Adria commented.

"And I learned that she liked girls as well as guys..." Raven spoke as she sensed something was up. "Luna... come... float with us." Raven turned to lift up her head.

"Yes, Mommun... come... the water is great." Adria moved to splash some water near her mother.

Adria was a healthy young woman...

And Raven... Luna's heart skipped a beat.

Luna was in love... her beauty, her kindness...

Raven accepted her for who she was... Luna felt a staff in her hands as she approached the water.

The Flamekeeper's Staff.

"Luna... for once just be yourself and come in." Raven moved and stood up in the water.

The Staff was important, but this was more important.

Then Raven left the water and kissed her before heading back into the water and undoing the zipper on her back to reveal the naked flesh underneath.

"We are family." Raven spoke attempting to seduce her into the water.

Then off in the distance Nameless was standing on the surface of the water.

She was grinning before she knelt down and motioned for something to come up.

A strange creature raised its head from the water a good distance from the two. It sang at them. The sound went through her as she realized that it was telling her something important.

Adria and Raven quickly swam to the shore to be by her side as the sounds felt familiar as Raven rushed for a tablet to record a image of it upon the device. The way the creature was singing as like they were being sent by a Nameless figure from another realm.

Then Luna woke up.

The image was fresh in her mind. Had the ocean told her that it was going to survive? Or something else?

Adria had gotten up and was watching over her as the sound of something pattering the glass of the window from outside.

"Adria..." Luna winced as she saw her daughter with her legs crossed.

"Mommun... Don't worry, I got up to listen to the rain." Adria spoke as Luna started to listen and the sound of rain was coming down at a good rate. Luna was concerned, but Adria raised a hand. "These clouds are from the North. I saw the storm brewing earlier today while I was working with Colette on a project."

"Ice Nation clouds?" Luna spoke as her daughter relaxed sensing that her mother was concerned.

"Ontari is going to return soon." Luna watched as her daughter pulled off the sleep gown she was wearing as she needed to scratch her skin some. Adria's bones were showing through her skin. "Mommun... want to sing that song we did when we were back home on the Rig?" Luna sensed that the weight of the last few days had been seen clearly by her daughter. But why was she undressing?

"Okay." Luna sat up and started to sing. But Adria stopped her.

"No... like we did in the rain." Adria stopped her as her daughter started to fold up the gown and she turned to her mother. There was a happiness about her now.

"You want me to undress?" Adria nodded. "Why?"

"Because I want you to wash my hair and also could you tell me about my body?" Adria was cupping at a bit of her underdeveloped breasts. Adria's loss of body fat had highlighted the girl's fears of looking like an old hag. That and Adria presented a vaginal sponge that was black with her blood.

Adria wanted the talk about her becoming a woman.

Puberty had arrived, or at least the questions about it.

"Oh... you want to have that talk..." Luna grinned. "Well... let’s see... you are developing into womanhood. So... have you taken an interest in any boys or girls of late?" Adria turned to look at her.

"Mommun..." Adria whined. Yes, Adria was hitting that age where boys were going from yuck to cute.

"Just trying to figure out if this is about me telling you about where man parts go into a woman or how to pleasure a woman with what you have?"

"Oh..." Adria reached out for her clothes as she realized how complicated of a set of questions she was going to be asking.

"Dont' worry... I will wash your hair and I will let you ask the questions." Luna spoke sensing that in light of recent events that maybe some mother/daughter time would be good for the both of them. Luna moved to undress so that she wouldn't get her own sleep clothes wet.

Also, it would give her a way to judge Adria's reaction to Luna's own interest to Raven.

If the dream if anything just forced the topic to the forefront that Luna had become interested in the Skaikru Kanic and maybe with Boo's blessing Luna could find some peace in her future.

"Well... to start my little one... I found out that I like both men and women." Luna spoke as she got up and walked over to get a wash bucket. Adria was blinking at this remark.

"You mean..." Luna turned back to her daughter.

"Boo... was the love of my life. He brought me you. You might not have come from my womb, but you have my heart."

"You didn't give birth to me?" Adria spoke as she realized that she was now an orphan.

"No..." Luna moved back to her daughter. "Boo was your father, and your mother died in child birth. When you and your father arrived at the rig... well... if a face can rise an army to invade a city, yours... invaded my heart and turned this hurt warrior into the mother you needed." Luna knelt before her daughter. "That was the day I pledged my fealty and heart to you my daughter." Luna moved to kiss her daughter's hand. "You and your father brought a peace to my life. Something I am eternally grateful for."

"You loved my father?"

"I did... and more... I wanted to make you a little brother or sister to play with you... my little fish." Luna became sad. "That was what we were planning on doing when your father was going to return from his supply run." Adria realized the blow that Luna had taken because of Alie was far deeper than any of the bruises of scars she had all over her body.

"You hate the Red Witch more for the damage she did... She didn't just steal father... she stole the chance for you to be a mother! To feel the life of a child growing within you to make your belly round."

Adria touched her own belly.

"Luna... do you love Raven?" Adria had used Luna's name and not mother as she often did when she had to hide who she was from those who visited their home. This change of tone only highlighted the questions Adria was having as she was coming of age.

"Interested... But seeing you happy..." Luna grinned as she ruffled Adria's hair.

"I like her... so... do you want to kiss her?" Adria spoke testing the waters. Adria had seen both men kissing men like Nate and Bryan and women kissing women like Clarke and Niyliah;0 so it wouldn't be too much of a jump for her to think that Luna might kiss Raven the same way given how her mother was blushing.

"Might... just working up the confidence to ask her." Luna was being honest with her daughter on that part. Luna either presented herself as a warrior or as a leader--- but as a lover--- bird shit. Not since Boo or Nameless had Luna felt this out of place on the topic of falling in love with someone. Adria was right. She was having feeling for the Skaikru Machine tamer/maker.

"Mommun!!!" Adria punched her.

"Alight... I will ask her. So... tell me why you are interested in finding out about your woman child blossoming body?" Luna countered.

"Well... there is this boy... he turns red when he looks at me.... and well Bullworth has been trying to drag me to him."

"Are you the same way?"

"A little...." Adria was messing with her fingers. Luna was right... it was about a boy.

"Alright... I will wash your hair as you tell me about him. And... I will tell you about the first person I was smitten with. Adria... It was a girl. Then I will guide you through what changes are coming to your body." Adria looked relieved at realizing that many of her questions would be answered by her mother.

To say when it rains, it pours... not only relates to the weather, but also when it comes to talking about first loves.

 

* * *

 

 

Ontari curled up next to Jasper in bed. It had been a long few days since their return from up north and her native homeland. Luna's little one was currently recovering with the medicine she and the others have been able to retrieve from the old Garden Station. But the events happening around her from her experience up north we're still haunting her. Nia's actions were still having repercussions even to this day.

Ontari watched as the remaining Floukru ate the sweetened cake bread that had the medicinal herb in it. Murphy had baked the ingredients together under Jasper's guidance. Given how this herb stank in its raw form, Ontari hoped that it could treat the aftereffects of this poison.

Gods, Luna's little one looked like a starving Waif of winter solace lore.

But seeing Kore reunited with her sister Echo had been the hardest thing to witness.

The great warrior was now faced to confess her actions before one of her own family.

Seeing the warrior on her knees shook Ontari to her core, but seeing that mixture of hope and sadness come forth and seeing Bellamy there just pull the truth out.

The riot during this entire confession mess was one for the history yet to be written.

Between the distraction of having all of Arkadia learn that it was Echo that was the one that had been in the box had nearly brought about a riot. Crap... No wonder Clarke had the box carrying the Azgada warrior buried and rigged in such a way that everything, every whimper, ever word spoke that could be over heard was actually taking place within the Skaikru dungeon.

Only by faking that Emori's rocket launcher had been rigged on the door of the prison did the rioters stop to consider their actions realizing that it might bring the end of their home and their survival against the upcoming Praimfaya.

Kore being Echo Sister had been a shock to the members of the Hundred who had seen this little girl as bringing peace to them.

Adria of Floukru had somehow been able to broadcast Kore's words to her sister to get the real truth about Nia's plans for starting a war with Trikru to the ears of those around.

Echo would be punished along with Bellamy and those who had worked with Pike, but for the time being the Arkers were considering their place in the world.

There were many hard changes heading their way, but there was something there that Lexa had seen and now Ontari saw that made sense of why they were made part of the overall council.

Ontari still had her right of the kill, but to the Hundred, she had gotten the answers that were needed to soothe the pain caused by her former queen.

Indra would be arriving in a day or so to help set things up for burning Pike and Nia's bodies and selecting those to carry out the punishments for their attack on the three hundred warriors sent to protect them.

After that... Well punishing and banishing those needed would be on the list.

Ontari would be personally swinging an ax to bring down some of the trees for the funeral fires next to teaching along with Harper how to use a Shock Lash.

Forty-three shock lashes each for the survivors of Pike's riding party. That was for the 300 warriors killed under Indra's command.

Forty-Four Lashes for the deaths of Skiakru done by Echo. Plus, banishment for five years to live with Skaikru. That would equal the 49 people that she had killed.

Yes, Echo would hate her, but her life would be spared. Echo was as much a victim as Ontari was.

Nia, had used them both. Now... Well, there was something between Echo and Bellamy that drew them together.

Ontari knew of the damage and scaring that would take place from the use of the shock lance. But those people would be alive.

Yes, there were calls for blood to be had. But how do slay ones who sent the message who were already dead? The messengers who had been used because of their pain to avenge or protect those they loved had to live with their actions. Blood must have Blood had it limits.

The right of the kill... meant to take to life or spare a life for the crimes one committed--- or find the truth behind them.

You had to be judged for the actions you had done. Was it the actions did by one, or were the actions ordered by another and the ones there just carried out?

Echo and Bellamy had found themselves in the same circumstance because of their leaders. Now Ontari had to pull their asses from the jaws of death.

Cow shit.

Ontari pulled close to Jasper and listened to his heartbeat.

Jasper's warm embrace caused Ontari to fall asleep as she tried her best to seek answers from her predecessors.

 

* * *

 

 

Niylah curled up next to Clark. Niylah was trying to work her fingers between Clark's naked breasts from her spooned position behind her. She could feel the young member of the Hundred just between the realm of Slumber and wakefulness.

Clarke had spent the last few nights sleeping with her in the nude as Niylah pulled every last stitch of Clarke's clothing off to ensure the Mighty Wanheda didn’t leave her side. Clarke needed her rest and Niylah was going to make sure the woman got it.

It was almost like they were back at her trading post. Those nights when her father was away and Clarke would sneak in for a few hours or reprieve from the horrors she had witnessed and done at the Mountain.

Hearing about the Mountain Men children and how they died. For a healer like Clarke... whose main mission in life was to save lives- even that of a foe, still weighted upon her.

But to give those children a burial according to their traditions only highlighted her sense of honor she had for the dead.

Now as Niylah understood why Clarke didn't want to speak of it.

There was no honor in killing innocent children.

Even if those children were of your blood enemy.

Children were children... to slay one brought great weight of pain of those the ones who had done it.

This is why Clarke Kom Skaikru had taken up the name of Pauna kom Nokru.

To slay their greatest monster Clarke had become the thing she had feared... a monster. The Pauna.

Clarke shifted some under the sheets as Clarke felt Niylah's hand and pulled it closer to her.

"Lexa... please... don't die." Clarke was reliving the moment of Lexa's death again. "You have my fealty... my heart..." Then Clarke relaxed as Lexa's spirit spoke. "Alright... I will be strong." Clarke relaxed as she shifted back to sleep as Lexa did her best to sooth Clarke’s spirt from the realm of dreams as Nilyah was doing to sooth Clarke's flesh in this realm.

Niylah prayed to her ancestors and to the spirits of the Commanders back to Bekka that Lexa's words had brought some peace to Skaikru warrior healer. Whatever had been spoken between the two women who had loved each other with all of their hearts must have been important and disarming.

Niylah took note of the tattoo on Clarke's shoulder in the spot where the Cougar had taken a chunk out of her flesh. The strange symbol seemed to have a deep meaning to her. Though Niylah had seen several of the young members of the Skaikru especially among those Clarke had come down from the Heavens with, this symbol meant something.

Word had gotten around the various kru that this symbol meant Griffin... A name the Clarke had been called by her people... not Wanheda... but by the name and title of Griffin... a title that was also shared by Clarke's own mother Abbi and late father Jake.

A title that was in relation to some ancient skai creature known to have the face, wings and front talons of an eagle and the rear and body consisting that of a lion. A creature said to be a protector. From everything that Niylah had been able to learn about this creature was that it was formable and fierce. Something that both women of this title bore well.

To bear a mark like this must have meant that unlike being called a Commander of Death... it meant to be a Protector of life.

Maybe it was the reason that Clarke loved it so much.

It wasn't a kill mark... it was a symbol of her quest to protect life. Her fealty to the Gods themselves to be their servant to protect those under their charge from harm.

Echo was lucky that Clarke had chosen to help Ontari in her quest to get answers on one of the last instigators of the Azgeda bombing.

If the truth could be learned... then maybe Skaikru would have the change to become respected among the kru across the land.

Clarke moved again, but this time she was grabbing the sheets around her. Niyliah knew what this meant as in a moment like a mouse sneaking its head out of its hiding place before deciding to sprint across the floor, that Clarke would roll over and bury her face into Niyliah's belly.

With a groan... Clarke did so. Like a Lion resting its head on a high rock to survey its hunting grounds below for potential threats and for game to hunt.

No wonder Lexa had become so smitten with this Princess from the Sky. Clarke had a strength and compassion about her that no one would stop. Compassion wasn't weakness with Clarke, it was her way of learning about who she was facing and giving you a way out.

You could hurt Clarke, but you would pay the price. A fatal Mistake the Mountkru had learned the hard way.

Now with the storms of Praimfaya fast approaching, Niyliah knew that she would stay this woman's side and follow her orders to the death if need be.

At this moment, Niyliah slowly stroked Clarke's blonde hair as she watched her Griffin sleep. The strong Winged Lion protector from the Sky.

_May the gods and the ancestors grant her strength for the battles to come._

Clarke slept under the care of a fellow warrior that would ensure that she would be protected as she rested for this night.

With that Niyliah moved and rubbed Clarke's back and let her know that she was cared for as Clarke's breathing slowed to that of a child enjoying a restful night.

These were the days and nights that would be told to the children yet to be born and Niyliah was happy to have gained a place among those tales yet to be told.

 

* * *

 

 

 Lexa slipped into Ontari's body after they had their deep discussion on the matters pertaining Echo of Azgeda and Bellamy of Skaikru.

Ontari was shaping into becoming a great leader under Clarke’s tutelage.

Lexa had thought Clarke was mad at taking the former Azgeda handmaiden as her second, but seeing the skills and raw talent that the girl demonstrated spoke that Clarke wasn’t looking for the aspects of a warrior. That was already there.

No…

Clarke was looking for something else in her Second.

Underneath that warrior girl's exterior, there was the desire to grow. To care. To love.

Then Lexa heard breathing as she looked up to see the face of a young man with whom Ontari was sharing a bed with. As Lexa moved Ontari's body and young man woke up and caressed her face.

"’Tar--- are you okay?" the young man spoke sensing something was concerning her.

"I am well my love." The quizzical look on his face spoke volumes.

"Crap--- okay... which one of the former Commanders am I dealing with?"

Lexa wasn't expecting this.

"What do you mean my..."

"First of 'Tar doesn't talk like that!" The young man stated. "Second..." The young man cleared his throat. "She calls me by my name." Lexa had to cope with the situation where fighting this man would bring problems for her.

"Skaikru..." Lexa decided that the truth would be the best way out. "I am Lexa kon Trikru."

"Kinda of figured it would be you… or 'Cesca." The young man rolled his eyes. "Except 'Cesca tends to be more diplomatic." Lexa paused. "Worried about Clarke?" The young man's honesty spoke volumes. It was as if he was expecting this situation to come up. "Alright. I'll get dressed."

 Lexa leaned back to realize that this young man wasn't worried.

"You are not angry?" Lexa spoke using Ontari's voice. The way that Ontari sounded was different than her own voice.

"No... But you better establish some ground rules with Ontari before you decide to take Ontari's body for another Joy Ride." Jasper's term for what she was doing was quite strange, but it made sense- somewhat.

 "You were expecting this?" Lexa spoke as she flexed Ontari’s physical form, then she stopped for a moment as she realized that Ontari’s chest was far different than her’s. This is when Ontari’s Skaikru lover grinned at her, then sighed.

“Yes… and.” Jasper ran a finger along the top edge of Ontari’s nightgown. Lexa realized that he had noticed her discomfort in Ontari’s taste in clothing. “Guess that this is the first time in someone else’s body.”

Lexa moved to cover her breasts.

“Don’t worry, give me a second.” The young man moved up behind her and adjusted two straps on the gown and brought them forward. “Ontari usually undoes these ties whenever she is worried.”

Lexa felt the straps and started to tie them in front of her.

The young man looked at her and noticed that formality was falling apart.

“Hold on… Lexa…” The young man moved and promptly readjusted the ties to Ontari’s nightgown.

"By the Gods! You love her... don't you?"

Those words made the young man stop.

“Yeah… She with me.” This is when he looked at Lexa or Ontari. “Shit… Alie did a number to both of us. This is a girl who loves knowledge, wants to grow. Very wolf-like like me.” There was something more there. “I was Alie’s general. I fought to defend not that Red bitch, but Ontari.”

“Despite being twisted under that witch’s lies… I think me and Ontari were honest with each other.”

“You see my appearance in her body as an insult.” Lexa’s eyes went down.

“Crap…” the young man rushed over to her. “You are that worried about Clarke!” This change in the mood only highlighted the situation at hand.

“I am,” Lexa spoke. “That and I want to tell her about Klone Project.”

“Alright… talk with Ontari. I will wait here…” the young man raised his hands fully understanding the situation.

“You will not stop me?” Lexa realized that Ontari’s lover was willing to help her.

“Lexa… you are horary Hundred. Clarke still loves you.”

_Horary Hundred?_

Lexa started to realize that when she pledged her fealty to Clarke that day when Skaikru became the Thirteenth Clan, that Clarke would have granted her the same status among her people as well. Maybe it was her way of ensuring that whatever was said between them was done as equals. Lexa probably would have been able to announce this publicly and force Pike to surrender to her and her armies not as Lexa Kon Trikru, but as Lexa Kon Skaikru if Titus’s bullet hadn’t struck her down.

Clarke would have been accepted being a member of Trikru just as Lexa would have had status among Skaikru. With that Lexa moved back into the realm of the Singularity to speak with Ontari.

If Ontari’s greater connection with the Flame could be used, then maybe there could be a chance for her to, under Clarke’s guidance, to become a great Commander.

 

* * *

 

 

Jasper walked with Lexa inside of Ontari’s body.

Ontari had been a little upset about the “joy ride” in her body, but seeing how distressed Lexa had been in the time she had been away from her beloved, Ontari understood.

Some ground rules had been established between the two, but for now, Ontari was hanging back. Watching and learning about her predecessor.

As Jasper was now bringing Lexa up to speed on Clarke’s state of mind, Niyliah… well, Clarke’s friend with benefits and the status of the preparation for the upcoming storm. Seeing Ontari’s body react to the Commander’s behavior was interesting.

This last part had Lexa concerned, but Jasper stated that if they had Bekka’s knowledge of the Second Dawn’s bunker that they had been looking for, then Jasper wouldn’t mind another Commander being in Ontari’s body.

But there had to be ground rules.

Something that after this discussion with Clarke would be worked out in more detail, but for now…

Lexa’s mental health and Clarke’s were the priority.

Approaching Clarke’s door, Jasper knocked.

The way Lexa was acting dictated that she was worried. When Niyliah answered the door wearing nothing but a shirt and nothing below the waist.

“Niyliah… you alright?” Niyliah looked tired but it wasn’t from lack of sleep.

“A little tired. I just got Clarke to finally sleep.” Niyliah didn’t mind being partially naked, but it seemed that she was using it as a means to keep Clarke put.

“Still hiding her clothes!” Jasper stated.

“Yes… it is probably the only way that I have been able to keep her from getting up in the middle of the night and leaving. Her body needs rest.” Niyliah looked back into the room to where a sleeping Clarke lay curled up in a mess of sheets, furs, and pillows.

Lexa looked in and felt her heart sink.

“I haven’t seen it this bad since the days where she was Pauna kom Nokru.” Niyliah started to cry. “I would off my body and bed up to her to provide a few hours of peace as my way of repaying her for what she did to avenge my mother being taken by the mountain men. Then she would be gone before the dawn.” Niyliah looked in to look at Clarke. “Now I pray that Lexa’s spirit when it visits her in her dreams is the only peace she has.”

Lexa knew this place all too well.

She had been in the same place with Costia.

Each night she sought the warmth of her lover in her bed.

The peace it brought.

How the world seemed a little less painful because of it.

Then Costia’s death.

It tore at her.

No…

Clarke had to live.

She needed peace.

“What if… what if my… Lexa’s spirit returned for a little while to speak to her.” Niyliah caught the verbal misstep.

“Lexa???” Instead of fear, the woman embraced Lexa inside of Ontari’s body. “The gods heard my prayers.” Then Niyliah knelt before the Commander’s spirit vessel.

“You may pass.” The woman let Lexa through.

Lexa had thought she might have to fight this woman, but all this woman was doing was trying to protect Clarke with all of her might. If offering up her flesh for a few hours of pleasure and warmth to Clarke so that the warrior could have some peace then so be it.

Costia had been the same way when they had met.

Then it became something more.

No… Clarke needed something more than this woman.

Niyliah seemed a worthy person who would look out for the health and wellness of her Heda. Clarke’s honorary status as being Wanheda spoke to that.

“Niyliah… you protected her during her darkest hours after the battle. Healing her body and spirit. I cannot repay you for all you have done.” Lexa spoke as she moved to caress Clarke’s shoulder.

Lexa remembered those nights when Clarke couldn’t sleep.

A soft caress, a gentle kiss.

Then Clarke would rest.

Some of the servants became curious, but in the end, Wanheda seemed to be a legend that seeing Lexa offer herself up was her way of gaining some insight into the mighty warrior. But Clarke was something that was more power than being a warrior. Clarke was a healer.

Everyone wanted to be Death… but to command Death. To understand why it attacked the sick, the young, the old. The limits the body could withstand in battle. Lexa just was enamored by this understanding.

When Lexa had spoken to Clarke on how she had battled the plague that had been sent into her camp, all Clarke responded was that. “It was a fight. I only found peace with myself when I too became ill. For I too would understand the suffering those around me.”

For Clarke, she counted herself as one of her people… Not their leader, nor their Commander.

But as one of her people.

If someone was cold, she would offer her own blanket to them.

Water, food, medicine.

She was compassion.

Some thought that as being a weakness.

No… it was Clarke’s strength.

This was how one gained allies.

Found warriors who would stand with her when she needed them.

Seeing what all Clarke had built with those simple acts of compassion…

She moved heaven and earth to save as many people of these various clans as she could.

Now she offered the one thing that would make Clarke whole.

The same thing that Costia had given her.

Family.

Using the same gentle nudge that she used to coax Clarke awake after a few hours of lovemaking Lexa performed the action that only lovers whose souls had been bonded together knew of.

“Clarke…” Lexa spoke trying to wake Clarke up.

Clarke rolled a little as she was in a deep sleep.

Niyliah seemed to have done her best to help Clarke get some much-needed rest.

"My love..." Lexa spoke as she moved to lean on Clarke's back the same way she had done in Polis. "You are safe."

The light presses of Lexa's/Ontari's body weight was enough to wake Clarke up.

"Lexa!!!" Clarke breathed in in the longing connective way when she woke up.

To hear Clarke's voice once again in the living world made Lexa's heart flutter.

Seeing Clarke rotate her head around to look up at her made her grin then the look of discomfort flowed over Clarke’s face when she saw Ontari’s face and not her’s.

“Ontari???”

Lexa’s heart sank to the level it had been at when she had found Costia’s head in her bed.

“Clarke...” Lexa croaked out with pleading eyes. This is when Niyliah intervened along with Jasper as Clarke moved to cover herself.

“Clarke…” Niyliah called out as she rushed over to Clarke’s side. “It’s okay… Lexa is borrowing Ontari’s body so that she can talk to you.”

Seeing how the Trikru woman, who had become Clarke’ intimate friend, spoke volumes as she was coming to her aid.

“What???” Clarke was able to croak out.

“Lexa is using Ontari’s body!” Jasper declared.

“Listen if this is some sick…” Lexa had to do something to prove to Clarke it was her. Then Lexa kissed her.

Clarke fought for a moment before the small mannerisms of how they moved and followed the other’s lips and tongues came back.

“Lexa!!!” Clarke was working hard to process the situation before her. All Lexa could do was Blush.

“Yes, Clarke it is me. The Cinnamon Roll Raccoon that stole your heart.” Lexa cleared her throat as she bit her lip.

Clarke fell backward on the bed.

Lexa saw the recent scars on her flesh at the top of her chest.

“I should have been there for you Clarke.” Lexa averted her eyes. “I should have never left your side that day you were planning on leaving. I should have gathered my forces and joined you with the army to the blockade.”

“And what… Titus was going to shoot someone that day. It could have been me. Murphy…”

“I know, but I love you…” Lexa looked up to see Niyliah who was getting worried. This is when Lexa reached up and motioned for the Trikru woman to approach. “That will never change. This woman… she has pledged her fealty to you. She is loyal, I do not hate her. She is who she is and she is offering you comfort in a troubling time. I have been there… Oh on Costia’s ashes, I have been there.” Lexa nodded for the woman to sit on the bed.

“Commander Lexa… I…” Niyliah was about to speak but Lexa raised a hand to stop the woman mid-sentence.

“Niyliah of Trikru, Jasper has spoken of your loyalty to Clarke here. Despite all that you have lost, you provided her a light to guide her through her troubles. Costia did the same for me when I became the Commander of our people. A kind touch and not knowing you are alone means much to one who leads.” Lexa started to cry.

Costia…

Oh, by the Gods… she missed her first love. She was no Clarke, but she was the one for which all loves that came after were to be measured against.

Clarke was different; she was compassion, strength... She showed Lexa a world that was beyond her wildest dreams. Now, even in the light of the coming storm, people made plans for the future. Ontari's Flamekeeper, Murphy, was going to be a father. Luna was falling in love again. Even Ontari was thinking about a life other than being just a Commander.

With those thoughts in mind, Lexa spoke what needed to be said.

"Clarke, a few weeks ago while you were in Singularity getting the formula to get the Nightblood you had to increase in volume so that you could use it as an inoculate from Bekka. I was giving Ontari a mission to help find the bunkers." Clarke remembered that night.

"That night is a little hard to forget, Lexa." This is when Clarke moved up in bed while she was covering herself in the process. Lexa bit her lips.

"Well... Ontari had come to speak with Bekka earlier that night about something she wanted to do to put things right with you, in a way Bekka started to see that this might provide an opportunity to restore the Nightbloods to what they were supposed to be: Guides and teachers for the future."

"Okay..." Clarke was getting part of this.

"Clarke... Ontari was talking about Cloning the previous Commanders." Jasper spoke up.

This had Clarke's full attention.

"What!!!" Clarke was almost out of the bed as she pulled the sheets around her to cover her naked form.

"Clarke..." Lexa sprinted over to her love. "I know of the taboos about what this means. But the Rules that Lexa wants for the Clones is that they are to be raised as the children of their predecessors." This is when Lexa spun Clarke around. "Clarke. I want you to raise my daughter as your own." Clarke stopped cold.

"What?" Clarke was in shock.

"My Daughter!" Lexa stated those two words to Clarke as an explanation. "I want you to raise, the Blood Forged Flesh Child Ontari is going to create in Bekka's Blood Forge from my ashes as your own." Clarke blinked a few times.

"You want me to..."

"Clarke... I know she will not be me..." Lexa grinned. "I do not have much left in this world. I see, hear and feel the heartbreak that you are experiencing." This is when Lexa decided to speak from her heart. "The time for Ontari to take the Flame is quickly approaching and before me and the others become fully part of her, I wish to grant this gift to you. I saw how you looked at the children that gathered around me when I walked through Polis and you saw that side of me that... That was so like you or at least what I tried to better myself as." Lexa remembered that walk through the market with Clarke. Clarke was wearing the blue hood and garments that she used to disguise herself as a fellow "Grounder" as Clarke and her Kru called the people on the ground. Then a gaggle of children were running up to her. Clarke held back, watching what was playing out.

These children were speaking to Lexa about all of the things that were happening in their lives. But seeing how Clarke had helped a scared Azgeda girl come closer. Lexa became curious as the Commander of Death just guided the child, talking with her, and... Well making her not afraid. Clarke's compassion was noticed by all present. It was what Clarke said next that made her lover al that more:

_"Don't worry little one, the Commander maybe scary at times, but she is a good person. She does what she can in her power to protect her people, the people she leads, she cares for, guards with sword and word, but she is no different than you. I trust her, I would give my life for her."_ This is when Clarke stroked the Azgeda clan markings on the girl's face. _"I see that you are of Roan's clan. I trust Roan, he has a complicated history, but he is a good man. I don't envy the task before him, I do not hate your people but people like Nia who wish war against the innocent make the lives of children like yourself all that much more difficult."_

This when the child spoke.

_"I'm still scared. I wish I was like Wanheda. She isn't afraid of anything."_

Clarke just grinned.

_"Well Wanheda gets scared too. She knows that not all fears can be easily so conquered. Sometimes they can help keep you safe. If there is a large animal chasing you and you are smaller. Then know that you can go places they can't. Other times your fears can be conquered if you understand that you are not the only one scared. That showing a little compassion can make you not as afraid as the one you are facing. When that happens-"_ Clarke looked up to Lexa and grinned at her as those words sunk in from their many encounters. Even going back to their first meeting in Lexa's war tent. _"-you find out that you are not all that different."_

_"I don't want to be weak!"_ The girl called out.

_"You are confusing kindness for weakness. Kindness allows you to learn about who you are facing. Ignorance becomes your weakness in that you lack the knowledge about someone or something and that allows them to have power over you."_

_"Then... Compassion allows you to gain strength by learning about who you are facing."_ The girl was understanding.

_"Don't give it away rashly, but in small amounts."_ Clarke grinned. _"It is amazing what a little compassion can do to grease the wheels of understanding."_

_"Then... The Heda... I should be nice to her?"_ The girl seemed worried.

_"Treat her the same way that you want to treated."_

_"I don't want her to scare me or hurt my family."_ The girl hung close to Clarke.

_"Then say that."_

_"Commander Lexa... I Siggy of Azgeda wish that you not harm me or my family."_ The girl was worried but she looked towards Clarke. _"I don't so much pledge my fealty to you, but I pledge it to..."_ The girl braced herself to be hit. " _I pledge it to the warriors that fight beside of Wanheda."_ The girl swallowed as Lexa approached. Kneeling before the girl to get down to her eye level.

_"I agree with you there."_ The girl looked shocked.

_"You do!!!"_ Lexa shrugged.

_"Yes... I do... Don't you agree Clarke."_ Clarke knelt down by the girl. Who now realized that she had been speaking to Wanheda all the time.

_"I do Lexa... Though I am still trying to figure you out. There is goodness in you, most see this great leader. Warrior. Politician. What I see is a reflection of myself. Someone who is willing to do what needs to be done to protect those of they lead as well those they who they are charged in the care for."_

_"Care for?"_ The girl looked confused.

_"I was trained as a healer, but I know enough that you need to defend the spirit as well as the body from coming to harm. When you understand that not all battles can be won through brute force, then you have to lean upon the fact they have to be won through more subtle means: compassion, healing, caring for others who wish you harm, giving comfort to warrior who is about to pass from this world to the next. The little things that in the face of unsurmountable odds can provide you the moments needed to start building trust between you and those who wish you harm, or in some cases come to your aide when you need them the most. Life should be more than surviving, it should be about living and showing that in this world or the next, what takes place matters and has repercussions both good and ill. You just have to make sure that in the end when your life comes to an end that there is a merciful god out there that will take pity on you for your actions both good and ill and welcome you to the other side."_

Seeing the look of fealty, I Lexa's eyes must have struck a chord in Clarke that day as Lexa looked to those around that Clarke wanted her to become a better Commander, a better leader, someone that wouldn't just lead them, but be a person who could show them a world where Blood must have blood didn't mean vengeance, it would mean family.

Now in the present, inside of Ontari's body. Lexa wanted to give the last thing she ever could in this world or the next: a piece of herself forged into a child to stand by Clarke and learn to become the person that would inspire generations to come.

"Clarke... Ontari will learn under Bekka the lost knowledge of the Blood Forge. Please accept the child forged from hair and teeth of body. Please raise this child as your own. My spirit will watch over the both of you, but please... in the name of the Gods that you pledged your oath of healing to, accept this gift."

Lexa moved the kneel before Clarke.

"Lexa..." Clarke stood up.

"You saw me for who I could be. Grant my child as much."

This is when Clarke kissed Lexa/Ontari on the forehead.

"I accept." Clarke with all of her bare skin exposed and wrapped in a simple sheet reminded Lexa of the statues of the ancient Gods.

This is when Lexa rose and kissed Clarke with the same loving passion she had when she had come into Lexa's quarters the day she had died.

Ontari squirmed, but after a moment the reply within Lexa's connection as the full strength of Lexa's emotional link with Clark was: _Oh shit!!!! You really loved her!_

The next message was:

_Uh... Lexa... is that my hand caressing between her naked breasts? Because..._

Lexa looked into Clarke's eyes and stopped before hugging her realizing that this level of intimacy between them had to end. This was Ontari’s body and she had no right to seek a moment of pleasure with the woman she loved. No… This was a chance to state what she needed to state to Clarke so that she could move on with her life.

"I will always by your side. Care for those I cared for as if they were your own."

“I Lexa. I will.”

Lexa kissed Clarke before returning to the realm of spirits.

Ontari who was looking around the room now understood the power of love.

Now... with mission, she swore to ensure that Lexa's decree was carried out.

 

* * *

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Currently working on the next chapter. Hopefully it will not take as long as this one did.
> 
> Hearns

**Author's Note:**

> Please Review


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